From its very inception in 1794 to this day, the half-dollar has gone through many changes, especially when it comes to its design. Over the years, the half dollars has featured designs like Flowing Hair, Draped Bust, Walking Liberty, and Benjamin Franklin.
However, following the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1963, the U.S. Congress immediately approved a half-dollar redesigning procedure, as the new half-dollar would be designed in honor of the late President JFK.
The new designs would also be replacing the half-dollar design with Benjamin Franklin, and once approved and completed, released in early 1964. The public welcomed the changes wholeheartedly, and to this day, the design of the half dollar remained the same.
The history of the Kennedy half dollar is rich and incredibly interesting. Sure, the dollar didn’t undergo any significant changes over the years, but there were some improvements and tweakings every now and then.
In the following paragraphs, we’ll take a closer look at the 1972 Kennedy Half dollar, its inception, significance, and of course, current market value and price. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!
The 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar: How Much Is it Worth Today?
Inception and History
As we previously mentioned, the very first half dollar was created back in 1794, and over the following decades depicted several different designs, in line with the political and economic changes. What was thought to be the final half-dollar design, featuring no other than Benjamin Franklin himself, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy happened, and a motion for the design change was in place.
The U.S. Congress, alongside the Kennedy family, U.S. Mint, and Treasury all agreed that something needed to be done to honor the late president; the new half-dollar decision was simply a no-brainer. But, one person wasn’t very fond of this idea; the President’s widow, Jackie O. She thought the President’s portrait wasn’t the best, and urged for some changes.
Nevertheless, the Kennedy half-dollar idea was a hit, upon its first release into media, and circulation. Millions of mourning citizens were looking for their own ‘souvenir’ of the President for only 50 cents.
But, for some reason, it was difficult to come across a Kennedy half-dollar, despite Mint’s increased production. At that time, the half-dollar was made out of an 80% silver outer layer, and a nickel and copper core. Because it contained silver, people would accumulate these half-dollar coins and melt them for their silver content. In 1965, the silver content of the coin was reduced from 90% to around 40%, but still, the coin saw little circulation.
The 1972 half-dollar was minted at three different locations: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The coins were made using a copper-nickel alloy, which is commonly used for modern-day coins. The Philadelphia Mint produced 153,180,000 half-dollars, while the Denver Mint produced a total of 141,890,000 half-dollars. The San Francisco mint produced a total of 3,260,996 proof half-dollar coins. Despite these numbers showing a high coin mintage, it is believed that the half-dollar coin saw little circulation and was fairly hard to come across.
Coin Design and Features
The 1972 half-dollar design was created by Frank Gasparro in 1964, who was also the Chief Engraver of the United States Mint at the time. To be more specific, the obverse was designed by Gilroy Roberts, while the reverse was by Frank Gasparro. The Kennedy portrait on the Obverse was based on a photograph taken by Jacques Lowe, a personal photographer of the Kennedy family.
The obverse of the coin
The 1972 half-dollar features a profile portrait of President John F. Kennedy on the obverse, facing the left side. Around the President’s head, the world Liberty is placed, as well as the minting year of the coin in the lower collar. Above the minting year is the mint mark, while the designer’s inscriptions are hidden under the President’s neckline. To the left, there is the inscription In God, continuing to the right We Trust.
The reverse of the coin
The reverse of the 1972 half-dollar depicts the Official Seal of the United States President. The seal is actually an eagle with 13 arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other claw. A shield covers the eagle’s chest, and the whole image is surrounded by 50 stars, while there are 13 more within the inner part of the seal, with light rays and a banner/ribbon with E Pluribus Unum inscription (meaning, out of many, one).
Other inscriptions on the reverse include the name of the country, the United States of America, as well as the denomination at the very bottom of the coin, half a dollar. The reverse was designed by the previously mentioned Frank Gasparro, who was the Chief Mint Engraver until 1981.
When it comes to the other features of the 1972 Kennedy half dollar, it is essential to mention that this is the biggest US coin that was and is still in circulation. The diameter of the coin is 1.205”, or 30.61 mm. The coin weighs 11.34g, as it is 0.085”, or 2.16 mm thick. The edge of the coin is reeded, with 150 reeds, and it is made out of 75% copper and 25% silver. The current half-dollar is made out of cupro-nickel.
The special sets of the Kennedy half-dollar were made out of pure silver or pure gold (.9999). Some collector’s editions were minted in 90% silver. Nevertheless, the 1972 half-dollar was a regular edition with a core of 91.67% copper and a top coat of 8.33 nickel.
The 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar – Current Market Value and Price
As we previously mentioned, the 1972 Kennedy Half dollar was minted in three different Mints, the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mint. The Philadelphia and Denver Mints produced coins meant for circulation, while the San Francisco Mint only issued the 1972 Kennedy half-dollar proof coins, meant for coin collectors and numismatics.
Because they have different mint marks, as well as different purposes and use, these coin nowadays have different market value and price. Other factors, like wear-tear, overall condition, silver composition, as well as preservation of the coin contribute to the value and price. Error coins, or coins that are in some way unique are also highly sought-after and significantly priced on the market.
Now that we know a little something about the 1972 Kennedy half dollar, as well as the factors that contribute to its current value, let’s look at some numbers;
| 1972 Half Dollar Value Chart | |||||
| Mint Mark | Good (G) | MS 58+ | MS 65 | MS 66/66+ | MS 67/MS 67+ |
| 1972 Half Dollar No mint mark | $0.60 | $0.75 | $20 | $165 | $1100 |
| 1972 S Half Dollar | / | / | $7.50 | $10 | $27 (MS 69) |
| 1972 D Half Dollar | $0.60 | $0.75 | $15 | $35 | $1000 |
Read More:
The 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar – No Mint Mark (Minted in Philadelphia)
- Type: Kennedy Half Dollar
- Year: 1972
- Face Value: $0.50
- Composition: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
- Total Weight: 11.34 g
- Diameter: 30.6 mm
- Thickness: 2.15 mm
- Edge: 150 Reeds
- Minted in: Philadelphia (Coins minted in Philadelphia have no mint mark)
- Quantity Minted: 153,180,000
The 1972 Kennedy half dollar, that is minted in the Philadelphia Mint, has no mint mark. According to the NGC Price Guide, as of July 2023, a Kennedy Half Dollar from 1972 in the circulated condition is worth between $0.60 and $0.75. However, on the open market, 1972 Half Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $1100.
The 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar – D Mint Mark (Minted in Denver)
- Type: Kennedy Half Dollar
- Year: 1972
- Face Value: $0.50
- Composition: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
- Total Weight: 11.34 g
- Diameter: 30.6 mm
- Thickness: 2.15 mm
- Edge: 150 Reeds
- Minted in: Denver
- Quantity Minted: 141,890,000
The 1972 Kennedy half dollar that was minted in the Denver Mint bears a D mint mark. According to the NGC Price Guide, as of July 2023, a Kennedy Half Dollar from 1972 in the circulated condition is worth between $0.60 and $0.75. However, on the open market, 1972 D Half Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $1000.
The 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar – S Mint Mark (Minted in San Francisco, Proof)
- Type: Kennedy Half Dollar
- Year: 1972
- Face Value: $0.50
- Composition: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
- Total Weight: 11.34 g
- Diameter: 30.6 mm
- Thickness: 2.15 mm
- Edge: 150 Reeds
- Minted in: San Francisco
- Quantity Minted: 3,260,996
The 1972 Kennedy half dollar that was minted in the San Francisco Mint bears an S mint mark. The San Francisco Mint only released proof half dollars, hence the lower minting numbers. According to the NGC Price Guide, as of July 2023, a Kennedy Half Dollar from 1972, minted in San Francisco, in PR/proof condition, is worth between $1.30 (MS 60), and $27 (MS 69).
The 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar – Auction Records
The aforementioned prices are determined by the current market climate and don’t necessarily reflect the highest possible price a coin can reach in auctions. Therefore, we’ve decided to feature numbers from the completed auctions in the past few years, so our readers can get a better understanding of the potential value of their 1972 Kennedy half-dollar coins;
- The 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar PCGS MS 66 Monster rainbow toned – $2,899.99
- Undated 50C Kennedy Half — Overstruck on a 1972-D Nickel — MS66 NGC – $5,287.50
- Kennedy Half Dollar 1972-D No “FG” NGC MS61 – $999.00
- The 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar 50C MS67 – $1,920.00
The 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar – Error Coins and List of Errors
There are no widely recognized error coins for the 1972 Kennedy Half a dollar, but there are still some error occurrences and examples worthy of taking a look at;
- 972-S 50C Kennedy Half Dollar — Double Struck on a Five Cent Planchet — PR66 – this coin was first struck off center and aligned with the dollar die. The second strike was also off-center, but moderately. From the second strike, the top two-thirds of the data is present, and the mint mark is bold. According to the NGC Price Guide, this coin is worth $16, while in higher grades it can reach the price of $2,386.
- 972-D 50C Kennedy Half Dollar — Struck on a Clad 25C Planchet — MS62 – this coin was struck on a smaller nickel planchet, compared to the regular one used for striking half dollars. As a result, a piece of the half-dollar is missing. According to the PCGS Price Guide, this coin was sold for $593 at an auction in 2014.
- 972 DDO Double Die Obverse NGC Graded And Verified MS 65 RD The Key – this error occurs when the head side of the die shifts during the rubbing process, resulting in the doubling of the front of the coin, particularly the inscription In God We trust. According to the PCGS Price Guide, such a coin was sold for the price of $461, at an auction in 2019.
Final Thoughts
The 1972 Kennedy half dollar is a special coin, essential to American history. Made to honor the late President John F. Kennedy, the updated half-dollar design from 1963/1964 remained in use and was featured on the 1972 iteration of the coin. Some say this is a rare coin, while others claim it is not. One must admit that it is definitely hard to come across one such coin, and because of that, its price and market value fluctuates and change.
One this is sure though; it is highly in demand and popular among coin collectors who are willing to pay a significant amount just so they can add this coin to their collection. Hopefully, we’ve managed to bring you the story of this coin a bit closer, or at least pique your interest in coins overall. For more information about this specific coin, or coins in general, and their current value, we recommend you check out the Professional Coin Grading Service website.
