Kennedy Half Dollars 50th Anniversary 2014

About This Series

Marking half a century since Gilroy Roberts' portrait of President Kennedy first appeared on the half dollar in 1964, the 50th Anniversary program of 2014 produced some of the most distinctive Kennedy issues in the series' history. The centerpiece was a gold half dollar struck at the West Point Mint in 3/4 ounce of .9999 fine gold — the first gold Kennedy half dollar ever produced — featuring a high-relief rendition of the original 1964 proof portrait that captured the crisp, deeply mirrored detail of the first-year design. A four-coin silver half dollar set brought together coins from all four active mints (Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point) in various finishes including reverse proof and enhanced uncirculated, configurations unique to this anniversary program. The gold version sold out rapidly, and secondary market premiums have remained strong as collectors recognize its singular status. These special issues complemented the standard 2014-dated Kennedy halves produced for circulation and collector sets, creating a multi-format anniversary celebration. The 50th Anniversary program demonstrated the enduring public affection for the Kennedy half dollar design and its connection to a pivotal moment in American history, generating collector interest that reinvigorated a denomination that had largely disappeared from everyday commerce decades earlier.