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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;MVC, post: 345144, member: 5290&quot;]The demise of the half dollar began in earnest in 1964.&nbsp; It likely began sooner but in 1964, everybody wanted to get the new Kennedy half.&nbsp; The Kennedy half was hoarded like no other coin.&nbsp; When the silver content changed for 1965, it was likely hoarded even more.&nbsp; The sentiment for Kennedy was overwhelming so these were hoarded.&nbsp; Even though production totaled over 400 million in 1964, people could not get enough of them.&nbsp; To put than into perspective, the highest total ever for a Franklin half was over 92 million in 1963 (both P and D) and the second highest was around 50 million.&nbsp; Even when the composition changed to clad in 1971, people still hoarded them.&nbsp; I remember my grandmother keeping every ½ dollar she got. By now, people had become accustomed to using quarters and not seeing half dollars in circulation.&nbsp; I am 45.&nbsp; In the 70’s I do not recall any vending machines taking them.&nbsp; Pop from a pop machine cost a quarter so I never grew up using them.&nbsp; Anybody older recall vending machines accepting half dollars?</p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, production totals for each year through 1976 typically ran 100-200 million, with the expectation of a few years.&nbsp; The Bicentennial coin again created demand/hoarding (yes my grandmother kept every one of those also).&nbsp; Total production for the 1976 version totaled over 500 million.&nbsp;&nbsp; From there production totals dropped dramatically, never again going over 100 million.&nbsp; In the 90’s, production totals were typically from 30 to 50 million.&nbsp; Finally, in 2002, production fell to a scant 5.6 million and these coins were only available for sale through the mint.&nbsp; This has been the case ever since.</p><p><br /></p><p>Anybody here old enough to remember the 40’s and 50’s?&nbsp; Did retail use half dollars during this period?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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