1964-D Kennedy Half Dollar : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

With the nation in mourning, Congress passed legislation mandating that the United States Mint change the design of the half dollar to honor the slain President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Production of the coin took place at the Mint’s Philadelphia and Denver facilities. Production began on January 30, 1964. The Denver Mint held an official “ceremonial striking” on February 11. The coin was first issued on March 24. In total, 156,205,446 1964-D Kennedy Half Dollars were struck at  Denver Mint facility.  The 1964 and 1964-D were the only circulation-quality 90% silver Kennedy Half Dollars issued by the U.S. Mint. In 1965, the coin’s composition was changed to 40% silver-clad.

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1964-D Kennedy Half Dollar Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

The Crystal Coin Shop of Wakefield, Massachusetts, ran a promotion in the October 1976 issue of The Numismatist suggesting that recent trade publications indicated a possible end to the Eisenhower dollar and Kennedy half dollar series, and that collectors should stock up on these “two underpriced series at competitive prices.”

In that ad, they offered the 1964-D Kennedy half dollar in Brilliant Uncirculated for $2.75 each or $23.50 for 10 coins.

In April 2020, NGC Certified an original Federal Reserve Bank bag of 1964-D Kennedy half dollars. The bag was dated March 19, 1964- five days before the coin’s official release date.

The bag was opened and graded by NGC. The coins were then sold by Rare Collectibles TV.

The PCGS population of MS67 coins has increased in line with collector interest in the series. In 2006, a 1964-D Kennedy half dollar at this grade (then the top pop) would have brought between $2,600 and $3,000 at auction. Today, a typical MS67-certified example sells for about $450. Higher prices are reserved for examples graded MS67+. One PCGS MS68 and one NGC MS68 coin have so far been certified.

When buying certified examples at the higher grades, we recommend that you avoid darkly toned coins.

Top Population: PCGS MS68 (1, 2/2025), NGC MS68 (2, 2/2025), and CACG MS66+ (1, 2/2025).

• PCGS MS68 #21637941: Legend Rare Coin Auctions, February 18, 2016, Lot 278 – $22,325. Richard Green Coll. on label. Peacock toning on obverse and reverse.
• PCGS MS67+ #49820069: Heritage Auctions, September 15, 2024, Lot 7100 – $2,520.
• PCGS MS67+ #44655089: GreatCollections, May 29, 2022, Lot 1163639 – $3,487.50. Rose and rust colored toning.
• PCGS MS67+ #38164391: GreatCollections, June 21, 2020, Lot 841079 – $2,321.02. Large fingerprint on the right side. Toned obverse.
• NGC MS67+ #5743585-013: Heritage Auctions, January 9, 2020, Lot 3946 – $3,840. Dark rainbow toning on obverse.
• PCGS MS67+ #38580895: GreatCollections, March 1, 2020, Lot 773148 – $2,757.38. Pale green and rose toning on both sides.
• PCGS MS67+ QA #84738910: Heritage Auctions, September 5, 2019, Lot 3547 – $2,640. Dark red and green toning on the obverse. 
• PCGS MS67+ QA #36777958: “The Sunset Collection”, GreatCollections, May 5, 2019, Lot 690743 – $4,331.25. Obverse rainbow toning.
• PCGS MS67+ #36176320: Legend Rare Coin Auctions, November 15, 2018, Lot 206 – $2,820. Orange and green toning along most of the obverse and reverse.
• PCGS MS67+ QA #25792413: Heritage Auctions, July 7, 2016, Lot 3672 – $5,405. Scattered obverse and reverse peripheral toning with sole magenta and peacock color on the obverse. At the time of the sale, this was a top pop, pop one coin.

1964-D Doubled Die Obverse (FS-101)

• PCGS MS66+ #81638415: Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2017, Lot 9985 – $763.75. 30th Anniversary holder.
• PCGS MS66+ #81638430: Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2017, Lot 9986 – $769.63. 30th Anniversary holder. Brilliant with small red spot at rim between L and I.

1964-D Tripled Die Obverse (FS-103)

• PCGS MS67 #82250180: Heritage Auctions, April 27, 2017, Lot 3963 – $1,645. Pop 2 with none finer at the time of the sale.
• PCGS MS66 #42190922: Heritage Auctions, August 8, 2022, Lot 45121 – $4,440. Population of three at the time of the sale.

1964-D Quadruped Die Obverse (FS-105)

• PCGS MS66 #33933943: Heritage Auctions, February 5, 2017, Lot 21189 – $881.25. Brilliant. Population of five with none finer at the time of the sale. 
• PCGS MS66 #33933947: Heritage Auctions, October 18, 2016, Lot 25770 – $822.50. Brilliant. Population of four with none finer at the time of the sale. 

1964-D Doubled Die Obverse (FS-108)

• NGC MS67+ #8210922-002: Heritage Auctions, November 20, 2024, Lot 3245 – $960. Brilliant.

1964-D Repunched Mintmark (FS-501)

• PCGS MS66 #82114120: Heritage Auctions, September 7, 2018, Lot 3751 – $780.
• PCGS MS66 #81281342: Heritage Auctions, October 4, 2016, Lot 3918 – $881.25. 30th Anniversary holder. Brilliant.

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1964-D Kennedy Half Dollar Coin Specifications

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Discover more about the 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar, by reading our collector profile of the Philadelphia Mint version.

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