I've just seen the latest production figures from the mint that it shows that the mint has not produced any halves in Denver and has only produced 800 K at Philadelphia. Is this normal? Are this just starting up the minting or is the Kennedy going away?
Well, we're still a bit early in the year to speculate on the mintage figures. Since these are NIFC coins, I would venture to guess the final mintages will continue their trend in the 1m-1.5m for each Philly and Denver mints.
Is there a reason why they are even still producing them in the first place. If they are being released as NIFC and have no bullion value whats the point? I know there are collectors out there they have an interest, but are the really that many to keep the half around when they are hardly used for transactions?
That's a good question Rock. Personally, i wouldn't care if they got rid of the denomination. There just hasn't been any legislation to discontinue the series. The presidential dollars are in the same boat.
Incredibly you can find these NIFC coins in circulation as people buy them for grading, but if they don't pass muster they get spent.
I do not wish to see the Kennedy half dollar eliminated. It is the bedrock coin that eventually enticed me into this hobby actively since 1969. The Kennedy half actually circulated then, although they were withdrawn in huge numbers by the public and kept as souvenirs. Always remember that in 1964, more half dollars were minted with that date, than all of the half dollars minted since 1796, combined! Whenever I receive a clad version in circulation, the coin gets spent. Often there are strange reactions to a coin many have never seen or have not seen in years. Twenty-five years ago, I used a Kennedy half dollar in change and was asked, "Who is this person on the coin? I have never seen one of these." (As an aside, this same 'what is this?' reaction occured a couple of weeks ago after an office colleague received a Washington dollar.) The Kennedy design will be 50 years old in 2014 and I am looking forward to another special coin to be minted similar to the 1996W Roosevelt dime, at minimum.
I do not wish to see it eliminated either. I just don't understand why the mint spends the money to keep striking them.
http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wc...1&parent_category_rn=10156&top_category=10156 http://www.numismaticnews.net/article/mint-stats-another-week-all-about-bullion-eagles the 2012 bags and rolls are still on sale and the 2013's have not been offered. Buy up the 2012 bags as the mintage is low and they will soon be gone.
