Designed by: Gilroy Roberts and Seth Huntington
Issue Dates: 1975-1976
Composition:
75% copper, 25% nickel over pure copper core (clad coins)
40% silver, 60% copper (silver clad coins)
Diameter: 30.6 mm
Weight: 11.34 grams (175.00 grains, clad coins), 11.50 grams (177.47 grains, silver clad coins)
Edge: Reeded
Business Strike Mintage: 521,873,248 (clad coins), 11,000,000 (silver clad coins)
The U.S. Mint celebrated the nation’s bicentennial in 1976 with three specially-designed coins – the quarter, the half and the dollar. The obverses carried the double-date of 1776-1976, and all-new reverses, selected in a competition among private artists, appeared on the three coins.
The reverse of the Bicentennial Kennedy Half featured a front view of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and was designed by Seth G. Huntington. The reverse also carries the additional words: “200 Years of Freedom” and “Independence Hall”, the only one of the three bicentennial coins to feature additional words.
Both copper-nickel clad coins were made for circulation during the years 1975 and 1976, as well as some 11,000,000 silver clad coins (using the same alloy as the 1965-1970 issues) produced for collectors. Some 4 million silver clad Proofs were also struck.
