Numismatic

1965 Kennedy Half Dollar MS-68 NGC (SMS)

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The year 1965 marked a significant transition for United States coinage, particularly for the fifty-cent piece. This specific coin represents the very first year the United States Mint utilized a forty percent silver composition for the denomination, a formula that contains 0.1479 troy ounces of the precious metal. This outstanding specimen has been certified in an exceptional Mint State 68 condition. It originates from a Special Mint Set, which was produced to a higher standard of finish than standard circulating coinage of the era. The preservation of its surfaces highlights the detailed artistry of its creators, Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro. On the obverse side, the coin features a left-facing portrait of President John F. Kennedy, with the date 1965 positioned below the bust. The reverse side presents a detailed heraldic eagle, which clutches a bundle of arrows in one talon and an olive branch in the other, surrounded by the traditional inscriptions indicating the nation and the face value of half dollar.