Designed by: Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro
Issue Dates: 1965-1970
Composition: 40% silver, 60% copper in clad form
Diameter: 30.6 mm
Weight: 11.50 grams (177.47 grains)
Edge: Reeded
Business Strike Mintage: 848,895,006
Proof Mintage: 8,608,947

When the silver was removed from the dime and quarter beginning in 1965, pressure from the silver mining interests kept some silver in the half dollar. While the coin was a “sandwich” design like the smaller denominations, the inner core was composed of .209 silver and .791 copper, with outer layers made up of .800 silver and .200 copper. This resulted in an overall silver content of 40% for the entire coin. This unusual composition was struck for five years, ending in 1970, although the 1970 half was struck only for mint and proof sets.

In an effort to discourage coin collectors from hoarding coins, mintmarks were removed from 1965 through 1967. In addition, proof set production was suspended as well during these years and “Special Mint Sets” were substituted in their place. These were simply ordinary circulation strikes that were more carefully handled after minting. When the mintmarks were returned in 1968 they were moved to the obverse of most coins.

This “interim” alloy ended up doing great harm to the coin’s ability to circulate, for even after switching to an all copper-nickel composition in 1971, the public perceived that all Kennedy halves were somehow special, and hoarded them. Their lack of use in vending machines likewise hurt, and although a half dollar seems to be a useful circulating denomination, it was unfortunately not to be.