The Kennedy Half Dollar was a coin first issued in 1964, a year after the death of President John F Kennedy. The 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar was composed of 90 percent pure silver, and 10 percent pure copper. The 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar was the only year the Kennedy Half Dollar that was 90 percent pure silver. From 1965 to 1970, the Kennedy Half Dollar was composed of a total of 40 percent pure silver, with the outer layer of the 1965 to 1970 Kennedy Half Dollar being composed of 80 percent silver and 20 percent copper, and the inner core of the Kennedy Half Dollar being composed of 79 percent copper and 21 percent silver.
From 1971 to the present, the Kennedy Half Dollar is composed of an outer layer of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel, with the inner core of the 1971 to present Kennedy Half Dollar being composed of 100 percent copper. There are exceptions to this, such as the bicentennial Kennedy Half Dollar from 1976. The bicentennial Kennedy Half Dollar was minted as both a standard base metal Kennedy Half Dollar and as a 40 percent silver Kennedy Half Dollar. Also, the silver proof Kennedy Half Dollar minted from 1992 to the present is available as a 90 percent silver Kennedy Half Dollar. The obverse of the Kennedy Half Dollar displays a likeness of President John F Kennedy facing left, surrounded at the top by the word “Liberty”.
The obverse of the Kennedy Half Dollar also displays the words “In Gold We Trust”, along with the date of issuance and the mint mark of the Kennedy Half Dollar. The obverse of the Kennedy Half Dollar was designed by Gilroy Roberts in 1964. The reverse of the Kennedy Half Dollar displays a modified version of the United States Presidential Seal. The reverse of the Kennedy Half Dollar also displays the words “United States of American” and “Half Dollar”, along with the words “E Pluribus Unum” above the shielded eagle.
The reverse of the Kennedy Half Dollar was designed by Frank Gasparro in 1964. Proofs of the Kennedy Half Dollar were offered in every year of the existence of the Kennedy Half Dollar, with the exception of the 1965-1967 proof Kennedy Half Dollar. The proof Kennedy Half Dollar is issued using the same metal content as the standard Kennedy Half Dollar, so a 1964 proof Kennedy Half Dollar will be 90 percent silver, just like the standard 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar.