Came out of a proof set. The language on Heritage auctions states that some of the coins were in regular circulated sets. lipka notes that some of the 1964 sms kennedies in the sms sets were regular circulation strikes. https://coins.ha.com/itm/sms-kennedy-half-dollars/1964-50c-sms-ms67-pcgs/a/1239-5545. anyways the coin has semi reflective surfaces and a satin texture I have not yet encountered on any business strike.
According to the Redbook the Special mint sets were in an effort to give collectors something since there were no proof sets minted 65 66 and 67. All of the polishing was done at the end of the process leaving abrasion marks along the more prominent features of the coin. This creates a dilemma, if an SMS coin finds its way into circulation how do we tell because the wear will....you know...wear down the surfaces of the coin possibly removing these abrasion marks. Hmmmm....mystery to solve. There must have been other differences in the process. Where's ma book....lol
So...question...what tells you that is an SMS? I assume you have a microscope? Those are the pictures I want to see because the coin looks like it's in pretty good shape and may very well have these abrasion marks....wait a minute....any coin in circulation will have abrasion marks along the more prominent features...I'll be back...with answers
It never is. Without the proper documentation and provenance, I don't know (if any) what the markers are to prove it, even if you found one.
Very interesting and informative. I have a very interesting story of my own to tell in regards to my own 1967 Kennedy half dollar that I found at the junkyard about 20 years ago. I used to go to the junkyard every weekend and just poke around looking for something I may need for my classic muscle car. One morning during my visit the owner and a few of his guys were cutting apart an old late 60's era Chevy that had been hit hard from in the front. They had a buyer for the rear quarter panels. While they were cutting these pieces off the car, I noticed a half dollar coin fall into the pile of debris on the ground. After they were out of the way with the part that they cut off, I reached down and picked up the coin. It was only a 1967 Kennedy half dollar. But the interesting thing about it was that it looked like brand new. I was disappointed though because I was hoping it was a 1964, since those had mostly silver content to them. Never the less, I was happy with the find and the owner said I could keep it. I'll post some pix of it on here sometime this week. Its in like mint condition only because it was stuck in the carpeting of this old car for years. Probably fell in there when the car was brand new. Anyway, just wanted to share this story of that 67' half dollar that I found in the car at the junkyard.
original vehicles from the era of circulating silver are probably few and far between - but I daydream about ashtrays (used for coins) from a old car.
It's the money, isn't it. All about the money that draws folks to this forum. Like Al Bundy, you're gonna make a 'Gajillion'. I think the SMS (1964) are a myth. Why would the mint produce such sets when the coin shortage of '65 wasn't imminent at the time?
You are misreading what Lipka said. He said that some of the half dollars in the special put together "SMS sets" were not SMS coins but were actually regular circulation coins. He did NOT say that some of the SMS coins were in the regular mint sets. And you said this came out of a proof set so it isn't either one, SMS or circulation strike.
This is from the Red Book: "From 2005 through 2010, Mint sets were made with a satin finish.....".The texture was different than circulation strikes. https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/2005-p-50c-satin-finish/96788
Just my opinion, but the silver content had been removed/ reduced the year before so I'm guessing that there were financial issues. So the question is.... Was it cheaper for the mint to produce SMS versus proof?