Numismatic

1984-S Kennedy Half Dollar Gem Proof

---

The 1984-S Kennedy half dollar stands as a striking example of modern American coinage, manufactured at the San Francisco Mint with a brilliant proof finish. The obverse features a detailed portrait of John F. Kennedy, designed by Gilroy Roberts, accompanied by the inscription "IN GOD WE TRUST". On the reverse, Frank Gasparro's design displays a classic heraldic eagle grasping both an olive branch and arrows, surrounded by the words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "HALF DOLLAR". This coin series carries a rich history that began shortly after the president's tragic assassination, when plans were quickly made to honor his memory on US currency. Jacqueline Kennedy requested that her late husband be depicted on the fifty-cent piece rather than the quarter, ensuring that George Washington's place on the twenty-five-cent coin remained undisturbed. While early versions of this coin contained silver, a major metallic shift occurred following authorization by President Nixon on December 30, 1970. Beginning in 1971, the composition transitioned to a copper-nickel alloy outer cladding bonded to a core of pure copper, the very composition used to strike this pristine 1984 proof specimen.