I was browsing the US Mint web pages, where they have several pages about the history of the Kennedy half dollar. Very interesting. There is a link to "Buy It Now", so I took a look. The Mint is offering two rolls of Kennedy (20 each) half dollars for $32.95. That's $20 of circulating coins for a really big premium. My dumb question, is can't I or anyone go to your local bank and buy the same two rolls for face value $20? If the local bank doesn't have rolls of Kennedy halfs can't they get them for you? Why is the Mint offering circulating currency at such a high premium, and why are folks buying them at these prices, plus shipping? I suppose if you bought enough rolls of circulating currency, the Mint would send you one of their nifty bags, so that everyone could see that you have a valuable coin collection at home.
2014 Kennedy Half-Dollar Two-Roll Set – Philadelphia and Denver (K12) Mintage Limit: None Product Limit: None Household Order Limit: None Available by Subscription: Yes $32.95 Qty: Description Program Specifications Purchasing & Shipping Each 2014 Kennedy Half-Dollar Two-Roll Set contains 40 circulating quality coins–one roll of 20 coins minted at the United States Mint at Philadelphia and one roll of 20 minted at the United States Mint at Denver that have never been placed into circulation. The design inscriptions on the obverse (heads) of the 2014 Kennedy Half-Dollar Coin are LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and 2014. Please Note: United States Mint coins are rolled by an automated machine process and not by hand; thus, we
Yeah, you could possibly go to the bank and get halfs rolled up but it wouldn't be these. These are produced only for collectors and aren't released into circulation. And yes, I know I'm getting hosed, but I order a two roll set every year.........
The Kennedy half dollars are not issued for circulation. They are only available from the mint. Unless released by roll hunters, you will not find these at the bank.
Starting in 2002, Kennedy half dollars were minted only for collectors, and only available from the mint. According to David Lange (History of the United States Mint and its Coinage, 2006) when casinos began minting their own 50-cent tokens, it was the death knell for circulating Kennedys, which barely made the rounds of ordinary commerce anyway. I tried spending them from time to time, and almost invariably, the cashier I gave them to set them aside for themselves, and put bills in the register from their own pocket!
I meant 2001 was the last year they released them for circulation. I guess my post was a little confusing.
Apparently the 2001P halves were held for quite a while at the mint and eventually were sold to collectors, with very few actually released into circulation. 2001D halves did get released in quantity and are not that difficult to find in bank rolls. I recently got a box of halves (50 rolls) from the bank and found 5 of the 'not intended for circulation, or NIFC) halves in the box: 2005D, 2006D, 2008D, 2009P, and 2010D. Apparently some dealers buy in bulk from the mint, have the best specimens slabbed for retail at high premiums, then release the rest into circulation. So you can find them without buying from the mint, but you'll need to do some searching. That said, I did recently purchase the 2012, 2013, and 2014 rolls from the mint (they are still selling the 2012's and 2013's).
The 2001 P&D were "re-released" in 2004. Besides rolls of each m/m, you could also buy $100 Mixed P&D bags. That is where I found my 2001-D Missing the Reverse Clad Layer. The coins that dealers dump into circulation, as a rule, would probably grade less than MS67. With that in mind, any coins subsequently found searching rolls from the bank would probably grade MS65 at best. Chris
Agreed, the NIFC's I found in the box while nice would not possibly grade above MS63. Also interesting, I did find two proofs - 1992S and 2001S. Not silver ones, unfortunately.
they are being sold to collectors at a premium until the fed runs out of their stockpiles, which could take a while. i still hope they bring it back in 2017 for kennedy's 100th birthday though
We'll do lunch then!! Actually, I hope to get lucky and find a missing clad layer like cpm9ball did or, or maybe another obliterated reverse die like the convex 2001 Kennedy Coin.
Anyone still here? I found 32 rolls of NIFC Half Dollars, a variety of dates. I opened one roll of the 2009's not really knowing what I had. I have no idea what to do with them. Any suggestions. I think the bank has another $250 of these.