Pictures are incredibly difficult to show the shiny luster; this coin stopped me in my tracks when it was recently revealed to me from a household sock drawer!!! My main question is with the imperfection area on the reverse under the word UNITED how the level of grading would be affected? I welcome any and all comments good or not so good about this coin.
That's a proof Accented hair Kennedy that has toned. It looks like it has a few hairlines, might go PF64.
I first clicked into this thinking it would be another nice half stashed in a sock drawer in 64. Lots and lots of them were. We had just lost the man and many folks tucked away the 64 halves when they came out.... But @Pickin and Grinin nailed this one. That is a proof strike and needs to be in a capsule so it will stay that nice for the next generation. No fingerprints allowed on proof coins! LOL.... Fingerprints never go away on a proof.
I have been incredibly careful with this coin as far as fingerprints however what if the coin had previously been handled incorrectly leaving fingerprints would they show now or will they come out later as time passes? Thank you I've always been a general hobbyist looking at pennies this is all very new to me.
I put together an Ike dollar album back in the 1990’s when I was hit the careful collector that I am now. Every proof Ike in that book has awful fingerprints that I didn’t know I left on them thirty years ago. So yeah, fingerprints on proofs certainly do get worse as time goes on.
Those super shiny proofs are always a challenge to photograph. That puppy is worth the effort. Treat it well & it will likely tone with time.
Keep in as close to a controlled environment as possible, in a sealed round. Allow it to tone on its own, gorgeous coin thanks sharing that beauty.
A very nice Accented Hair specimen. I'm a long time Kennedy Half collector, maybe you can tell by my avatar! Finger skin oil residue can remain on a coin's surface indefinitely, altering the ongoing reaction of surface oxidation over time, in the shape of a fingerprint. Once this appears, it's difficult and likely harmful to remove, especially on a proof. A careful acetone rinse can dissolve and remove harmful contaminants safely, just don't do anything abrasive during the process.
Maybe you know all of this, but this coin was part of set which the mint sold in 1964. It came in a tan envelope and looked like this. The issue price was only $2.10. The Accented Hair variety was among the first sets sold. The story was Jackie Kennedy didn't the think first version looked quite right, so designer Gilroy Roberts changed it slightly. The outpouring for John Kenndy prompted many people to purchase these sets. The total mintage was 3,950,762 which is very high, even by today's standards. Lots of them were sold to non collectors who sometimes cut out the half dollar and spent the rest of the coins. The numismatists at the coin counter at Gimbels Department Store told me they spotted the other Proof coins in their cash register! The price of silver mostly drives the value of these sets today.
When i was handed the coin after it was found she was handling it like it was pocket change, I I educated her but wondering if it was too late. So thank you all. I will consider Aceatone but not sure of the risk.
Thank you I did not know any of that. As mentioned I'm a hobby Penny looker person LOL but this has been fun and now I might widen my hobby to include much more.
