1964 Kennedy Special Strike Half Dollar

Above, two 1964 Kennedy half dollars. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One can be just a casual coin collector and still could possibly have a valuable coin tucked away in a sock drawer.

There is a coin that may seem common but is actually rare and quite valuable.

That would be a Special Strike Kennedy half dollar minted in 1964.

Before we get to that, here's a little history of the Kennedy half dollar from Tododisca:

The United States Mint first minted the Kennedy half dollar in 1964, a few months after the assassination of popular President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

The Kennedy half dollar replaced the Benjamin Franklin half dollar and was made of 90% silver and 10% copper.

However, this metal composition changed from 1965 to 1970, when the Mint struck coins with a core containing 79% copper and an outer layer containing 80% silver and 20% copper. The change in metal was due to the shortage of copper at the time.

Beginning in 1971, all half dollars were minted with a core of 75% silver and 25% copper, with a pure copper core.

The design of the coin has not changed since its first mintage in 1964. The obverse shows a portrait of President Kennedy facing left, and the reverse shows a heraldic eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and a bundle of arrows in the other, symbolizing independence.

There is a variant of the 1964 Kennedy half dollar worth thousands that people could possibly have in their sock drawers. 

According to Tododisca:

The most famous variant of the Kennedy dollar is the hair accent coin minted in 1964. Kennedy’s hair appeared sharply outlined on the early coins, but the president’s widow, Jacqueline Kennedy, did not like the design, so the Mint had to soften the hair. The Mint made the necessary changes, but a limited number of proof coins had already been struck.

The 1964 Kennedy Special Strike half dollar stands out as the rarest errorless coin in its series. Its distinctive characteristics set it apart from other coins minted during that year.

A Special Strike 1964 half dollar can be identified by its smooth finish, distinctive obverse and intricate reverse design details. In addition, the edges are remarkably crisp and well-defined.

Typically, these unique coins are free of contact marks, meaning they were minted and meticulously maintained to maintain their distinctive character. Unlike proof coins, the specially minted Kennedy half dollar features a matte finish, where the only visible imperfections are the die polish lines.

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