The first Kennedy Half dollar was minted in 1964. Both the Philadelphia and the Denver mints produced enormous numbers of these coins for circulation. As soon as the coins became available to the public massive amounts of them were immediately hoarded by the public for nostalgic reasons. This was the first and only year that the Kennedy half was minted in a silver content of 90%. By the time the clad half was released to circulation in 1965 most of the 1964 halves had disappeared from circulation.

The mint reduced the amount of silver in the Kennedy half to around 40% in releases for circulation dated 1965 through 1970. Even though the silver content was higher than that of the dime and the quarter, most of the halves circulated freely in the public's hands. Once the silver price rose to a high of 300% of face value in the mid-seventies, all of the Kennedy halves disappeared from circulation with the 40% content. The mint did not produce any Kennedy halves for circulation in 1970 and only the 1970-D was found in mint sets.

In 1971, the mint eliminated the silver content of the Kennedy all together. Kennedy halves were now being made with nickel and copper. By the mid-seventies the Kennedy half was beginning to be unwelcome  in circulation and millions of the newly minted coins from 1971 through 1974 remained in bank vaults. Inflation in the 1970's devalued the buying power of US currency making the half dollar a coin that was no longer acceptable by the public. The coin was simply regarded as to heavy and bulky to carry and its use in vending machines was near zero because no one was making coin acceptors to take the coins.

The US Mint did not produce any Kennedy half dollars in 1975 for circulation. In 1976, the nation celebrated its 200th anniversary. With the advent of the anniversary, the mint made a 1776-1976 Kennedy half. Like its quarter counterpart specially designed for 1976, the half near made it into circulation for any length of time. After 1976 the mint continued to make Kennedy halves for circulation, but by this time the public simply did not use them. Cash registers were made with out a space for the half and the banks simply piled them up in thier vaults.

It wasn't until 2002 when the mint stopped making Kennedy halves for circulation all together. In the eighties and the nineties Kennedy halves were rarely found in circulation. So where are all the Kennedy halves? Millions of Kennedy halves used to be found in casinos across the country until the paper payment tag was created. Millions of other halves are in US bank vaults. If you wanted to start a collection, most banks would be happy to supply the halves to you. Most of the dates dated after 1970 would be available for the collector since any Kennedy dated before 1971 has a silver content and most likely they have been gathered up for the silver value.

All of the Kennedy halves made for circulation are valued either at the silver content price or just plain fifty cents. The mint still makes Kennedy halves and sells them in rolls to the general public on their web site. If a collector is in need of a Kennedy half dated after 2001, then the local coin shop or possibly ebay members will have them.

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