Im trying to put a set of JFKs together, including the proof issues. What kind of references are there for JFKs? How can you tell the difference in the 76-S issues, proof, business and commerative?
The best book on the Kennedy is "The Kennedy Half Dollar Book" by James Wiles- 1998. The '76 issues are not difficult to tell apart and there are only five not including varieties. The '76 and '76-D are the business strike coins made for circulation and appear in both the '75 and '76 mint sets. Very high grade specimens are easier in the '76 set but they are tough to find without some marking, especially on the reverse. Fewer than about 1% of these in the sets are clean. Clean examples can also be found in rolls but these are usually poorly struck. Both coins are found in PL but the Philly is easier to find. The '76-S clad proof was issued only in the regular proof sets of both '75 and '76. There is little difference in quality here and PR-69 examples are not extremely difficult to locate. There was also a silver (40%) proof and unc coin made. The silver can easily be seen on the edge and there will be no copper core (billon). Most of the uncs went into the three piece sets with quarter and dollar coins. These were struck like mint set coins and do not have squared rims or the high luster of proofs. There are a small number of these extant which were struck on high speed presses are are riddled with scratches and plagued by weak strikes. These were struck at the last minute in error in huge quantity and then stored in barrels until most were melted in 1982. Those on the market are usually found in the three piece plastic with no white stripe. This coin does not exist in high grade and the regular coin can be difficult to find in extremely high grade and harder still in PL. The 40% proof was sold as a three piece set with the quarter and dollar. These have square rims and high luster. This coin come very nice and PR-69's are fairly common.
Thanks cladking!!! I do have the book by wiles, but the book doesnt go into the details like you told me. Were did you get all of your info?
I make it all up as I go along and have been watching the moderns for more than a third of a century now.
There really isn't a lot of info on most of the modern coin series available. The Kennedy and Roosevelt series are certainly the most lacking in good referrence material. Neither have a major collecting base. So when looking for credible info, you must really put some effort into it. Some basic facts hold true for all the coins from 65 through the late 80's. To find gems your search will be long and hard. Most issues for this 25 year period just were not collected in any serious amounts. The Mint sets are often toned and very poor quality.
The degree to which these coins have been ignored is totally unprecedented for US coins. It is incredible that the mint was able to sell such large numbers of sets each year but these were not often seriously collected either. Most wholesaled for less than face value for years and were easier for buyers to cut up and use for change then to locate a buyer for. Original rolls of the dimes and quarters are virtually nonexistent. Many of the best moderns are wearing away in circulation and do not exist in uncirculated condition simply because they don't appear in the mint sets. While some half dollars were set aside in bags and rolls, they were not widely collected either. There was little effort in finding nicer coins to save and the gems were often very elusive anyway.
