Who likes Kennedy Half Dollars?

Hey, is that a die crack on the reverse below the beak, or am I smoking crack?

 

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To answer your question, I like them well enough. I managed to put together a business strike date and mint mark set from inception through 2010. I should probably catch up with the last 6 years just to avoid falling too far behind.

 

Put that on the reverse, but honor the woman he killed by putting her on the obverse.

 

That might actually work, both from a numismatic perspective and from a let's-heal-the-nation perspective. Have you thought about entering the contest the mint is holding to design a new coin? I don't remember which coin is under consideration, but you could submit a design for whatever it is.

 

I had heard about the contest for design of the WWI Veterans silver commemorative coin, but I haven't heard of any others.

 

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I like Kennedy's and here are the 3 I currently have. I used to have more but my former stepbrother stole em about 8 years go.

 

Its the end of the ribbon

 

If there's a new coin design contest, then I really hope it's in the "classic" style.

Even the finish should be classic (e.g. concave up to edge), IMHO.

 

I started a set when all the hoopla started with the multi-coin sets. And being the 50 year thing --
I thought this might be the end of the series, so I started putting on together at a faster clip. Just ended up buying them all from a variety of places.
Got it finished, and BAM, they are still making them, ugh.
Of course, I will now continue stacking them up.

 

It's been 53 years already, 53 years of babies have been born who really have no idea who JFK was besides being taught he was a president that was assassinated in 1963. I'd honestly be surprised if the JFK half design lasts another 10 years.

 

Before long, barely anyone alive will have a recollection of Franklin D. Roosevelt as president. Don't believe anyone can say they have a first-hand recollection of Lincoln, Jefferson, or Washington. I don't think that's a reason to change a coin.

 

For historical numismatics sake, we need a 50 cent piece of some kind, afterall we invented it!

 

Yes but Lincoln, Washington and too a lesser extent Roosevelt are iconic Presidential figures who feature prominently in what U.S. children learn in school these days and have since I was in school in the 80's/90's. JFK's only claim to fame and mentioning when taught about U.S. history is being assassinated, would he even be on our coinage if he hadn't? I'd be willing to bet not.

 

If, “JFK's only claim to fame and mentioning when taught about U.S. history is being assassinated” is what you were taught in High School then you were either asleep during class or your teachers were incompetent. From the failure of the “Bay of Pigs” to the “Cuban Missile Crisis”, from the “Berlin Airlift” to the escalation of the “Vietnam War” and “Space Race” Kennedy’s administration played a vital role in the “Cold War” of the time and helped led us to where we are today.

Giving credit where it is due, I also would like to see the Kennedy half dollar series retired.

 

Don't forget his "personal relationship" with Marilyn Monroe! That's a "claim to fame" if there is such a thing for a President. Haha!
The novel "PT-109" should be required reading.

 

Don't forget his escapades in WW2 as a junior Naval officer.

 

Lol we posted the same thought in unison. Odd.

 

I like (90% silver) Kennedys very much. I think it's an elegant and under-appreciated design.

 

All of that is gone over very quickly and without getting into the substance. The largest teaching points about Kennedy are regarding his assassination and that was in the 80's and 90's when I was in school. These days I think many older Americans would be surprised if not absolutely shocked at what children are taught in schools regarding U.S. history or lack thereof. Then again how many of those average adult Americans would even recognize and be able to identify Kennedy on the half dollar or even a half dollar itself for that matter? There's a reason common core has swept across the nation and been implemented with little resistance.