1998-S Silver Kennedy Half Dollar BU (Matte)

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In 1998, the San Francisco Mint produced a highly unusual version of the Kennedy half dollar. Strikingly different from the typical shiny coinage of the era, this particular coin features a matte finish, giving the surfaces a soft, non-reflective luster. Struck as a specimen, this piece is composed of 90 percent silver, containing 0.3617 troy ounces of the precious metal. The obverse presents the left-facing profile of President John F. Kennedy, originally designed by Gilroy Roberts. Surrounding the portrait are the inscriptions for liberty and the national motto of trust, with the year 1998 and the "S" mint mark of the San Francisco facility positioned below the bust. On the reverse, Frank Gasparro's design displays a powerful heraldic eagle. The eagle holds a bundle of arrows in one talon and an olive branch in the other, symbolizing both strength and peace. The traditional motto meaning "out of many, one" is displayed on a scroll, while the inscriptions marking the nation and the denomination of half dollar frame the central image.