1971 Very Rare Half Dollar?

I own what looks to be a silver-clad 1971 Kennedy half dollar. I bought the standard two mints sets in a sealed Mint envelope a while back and from the moment I opened the envelope I could see the two half dollars were different. Then I heard about the "very rare" MINT error, where some coins were clad in silver instead on cupe-nickel ('71 was the first year for the nickel coating). I repeat: this would constitute a MINT ERROR. But every expert I talk to refers to the special silver clad issues from the 80s and 90s! These aren't mint errors and they aren't 1971. Has anyone heard of a 1971 silver-clad MINT ERROR Kennedy half dollar? I've attached a scan: the right-side packet has the kennedy that has a clearly more satin luster that the nickel-clad on the left. Can anyone help? -- Tom Baxter

 

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It wouldn't be the first time an obsolete planchet got caught in the machinery someplace, only to get freed later and struck after its time. It happened in 1943 with copper cents, it happened in 1944 with steel cents, in 1965 with silver quarters, etc.

If you really believe that's what it is, send it to a TPG to be authenticated.

 

Before sending it anywhere you need to get an exact weight for it (yes that will require opening the set up). If it weighs 11.5 grams then you are in luck and the coin should be forwarded to NGC, PCGS, ANACS, or ICG for authentication and encapsulation, but if it weighs 11.34 grams then it is CU-NI and it just looks different. From the photo provided I'm gonna guess that it is CU-NI since the coloring on the half is identical to the coloring on the quarter dime and nickel in it's package and I strongly doubt that the entire set (nickel included) is silver clad.

I hope I'm wrong, and good luck!

 

I agree - based on coloring, it looks normal. Copper on the edge can take on many hues.

 

Yes i have to agree the nickel, dime, quarter and the half have the same color. It probably is NI-CU clad

 

Do you really know the difference between silver and nickel "color"? Unless you work in a metal industry or such, I believe a normal person would have issues telling the differences. I admit that I have troubles at times specially when it comes down to cladding, plating and such.

I believe that if silver and nickel are allowed to be toned, at some stage, their hue would match up with one another. There is a good reason why nickel-cupro is used in coinage because of their relative similarity of their color.

Indeed, the only way to determine the difference is their weight difference. Color alone doesn't tell much.

 

Maybe silver by itself might be a little hard to tell apart from other metals, but a silver coin just has a certain look to it. Those coins just don't have the color that a silver would look like. And, it's been said before, they are all the same color, the quarter and dime haven't been made in silver for 7 years (from 64).

 

I am not sure if this coment is aimed at the original poster or those who commented, but a visual inspection by an experienced person can indeed be fairly reliable most of the time. A casual obervation of comparitive color is not scientific, and as some have said, weight would be the true measure. However, when all the CN coins in one set have the same color then a pretty good guess can be made.

You could definitly find a CN coin that matched the color of a silver coin exactly, but the condition or state of toning would be different for each, thereby making them the same color. All things being equal, though, silver and CN do not look alike, at least not to me (proof coins might be an exception).

For example, I can tell a circulated silver nickel from a normal one (almost) every time just by color. I believe the same can be said of 90% silver vs. CN. On newly struck coins it would also be harder to tell, but once a coin starts to tone the difference can be more obvious.

 

thombaxter, have you tried the "tissue paper test"?

Place a piece of tissue over the package containing the questioned coin. If it has a silver surface, and the others have cu-ni surfaces, it will be have a very noticeably whiter appearance through the tissue.

 

Tom,
Your coin is a rare 1971-D Silver Clad half dollar. It was struck by error by the US Mint in 1971. It is probably worth about $500-600.
Would you be interested in selling it?

 

anatole, 4 years ago, he might have been. Since he has not checked in since, I doubt that you have made any contact with him.

Secondly, you are not allowed to make offers aside from PM/email.

 

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Nice

 

Lol

 

I have this same coin 1974-d half dollar 40% silver weights 11.5 grams willing to sell for best offer

 

First off, read the forum rules.
Second, welcome to the forum.
Third, go get it authenticated by a TPG (at least ANACS, more favorably PCGS or NGC).
Fourth, post it for sale here. You'll get offers.

 

Wow lots of action here for a 10 year old thread.

 

Nah, already have five. I spend any others that I find.