Half Dollars - Why?

Why are Half Dollars still being made? They are made ONLY as Proofs and in SMS versions. None are being made for circulation. Shouldn't Proof Sets and SMS [SMS's?] contain only examples of circulating coins?

I do understand that production was curtailed because low demand and the glut in supplies on hand, which no one wanted, and I understand that if demand should increase and the supplies on hand dwindled, then production might resume, but I think we all know that the chances of those conditions occurring are somewhere between nill and zero.

 

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Not sure why it continues....however, circulating coins are made and can be purchased from the US Mint website in rolls and bags. I have actually found some of these "not released" coins in change as someone had purchased bags/rolls and then put them into circulation.

 

I enjoy collecting Half Dollars, but now with them being so rare for me to find I keep every one I get, valuable or not.

 

Half dollars were sure used back when… Just look at all the older half dollars, many are worn almost flat. But your right, I have not got one in change for many years.

 

With the verbal disrespect for the cent, the US is getting to be a three coin society.

 

Duplicate post......deleted.

 

First its Uncirculated not SMS. When you say SMS people think you're referring to the 65, 66, 67 SMS(Special Mint Sets) since no proofs were made those years.

As far as your question goes, I think Congress has to authorize the discontinuance of any denomination of coin or currency.

 

Half dollars continue to be produced because it is mandated by law. Only Congress can change the law. Business strike Kennedy's are also sold in bags and rolls.

http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wc...1&parent_category_rn=10156&top_category=10156

Chris

 

They're made because the mint sells them for three times face value and people still buy them. If I could see you a dollar bill for three dollars, Id keep doing it till the cows came home...and I don't have cows!
Guy

 

^This. The US has a history of making obsolete coins in tiny numbers until the politicians get around to changing the law, look at all of the coins wiped out in 1873, and again about 20 years later. The mint makes what its told to make, regardless of need really. Its stupid, I know, but until they get the courage to refomr our coinage I would expect it to limp along.

 

I guess I wasn't really aware that business strikes were still being produced and sold. I feel pretty certain that NONE of these are going to the FRB's; they're all going to collectors (mainly dealers), and very few, if any, are circulating.

 

As of 2002, they have not been issued to FRB's...only sold to collectors from the US Mint directly. Been a challenge to keep my set current, especially from 2005 - 2010 where the mint sets had Satin Finish coins in them.

 

A lot of them do end up in circulation. For the Kennedy collector, the goal is to obtain the best specimen for their collection. So, many do buy the rolls or bags to search them. Some of them will go right into a Dansco, while others are submitted for grading for the Registry sets. Those that are not in good condition are usually spent or deposited in the bank.

Chris

 

Jobs.

 

I'm not exactly sure why there is such negativity about these coins going here. The mnt makes what it makes. If you like it, buy it. If not, dont. Personally, I like the halves, and do NOT want to see them go the way of the dollars. Discontinued or turned into a totally inferior coin. The last decent dollar coins were the Ikes. They can keep right on making the Kennedys.

 

I spend them all the time. I still have rolls left over from unsuccessful roll searching. I only keep the silver ones when I find them. It's fun to watch people that you give them to.

 

I wanted then to issue STATE half dollars instead of quarters. Maybe they could of had better art work.

 

that would be pretty sweet. Im waiting for a redesign of the half.

 

Why do they keep striking them? Because they make a nice profit from selling them to collectors. That is the only reason.

No their production is NOT mandated by law. Title 31 Sec 5112 specifies what denominations MAY be produced, and Sec 51111 specifies that they SHALL be produced in whatever amounts the Secretary of the Treasury believes are needed to meet the needs of the United States. If the Secretary decides the country doesn't NEED half dollars they don't have to strike any. If he decides the country NEEDS just enough to satify the amount they can get collectors to buy, that is what they will make. So their production is up to the whim of the Secretary.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_half_dollar_mintage_figures

It is my understanding that the Mints are sending Kennedy half dollars to the Federal Reserve Banks but they are holding the halves since about 2001 until the existing stock is depleted, which may never actually happen. Each bulk bag (Ballistic Bag) will contain a large volume of coin: for example, 400,000 Lincoln cents, 240,000 Jefferson 5-cent coins, 500,000 Roosevelt dimes, 200,000 Washington quarter dollars, 100,000 Kennedy half dollars or 140,000 Sacajawea dollars. This can be equally distributed between the Feds for storage.