1979 Half Dollar Value Guide

What Is A 1979 Kennedy Half Dollar Made Of?

The 1979 Kennedy half a dollar is worth 50 cents. It is made of 75% copper and 25% nickel. However, Kennedy’s half-dollar coins were made of 40% silver and 60 percent copper when it was made from 1965 to 1970. In 1964, the Kennedy half a dollar was made of 90% silver and 10% copper.

Going back to the Kennedy half dollar coins in the 1979 series, you would find that these coins have a mass of 11.34 grams. It also comes with a diameter of 30.6 mm and a thickness of 2.15 mm.

photo source: PCGS

On the obverse, the coin features the bust of John F. Kennedy facing to the left side, which was designed by Gilroy Roberts. You’ll find the following inscriptions:

• LIBERTY
• IN GOD WE TRUST
• 1979
• Mint mark (D, S, or none)

On the reverse, you’ll find the modified presidential seal, which includes the eagle with its wings outspread. The eagle carries with it an olive branch on its left claw and 13 arrows on its right claw.

On its beak, it carries a banner that says, “E. PLURIBUS UNUM,” which means out of many, one. On the top and right side of the head of the eagle are 13 stars while there are 50 stars that encircle the eagle.

Other inscriptions include the following:

• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• HALF DOLLAR
• FG (initials of Frank Gasparro)

The Kennedy half-dollar was first struck in 1964. It was a way to honor the 35th president of the United States. The first Kennedy half-dollar coins were made of 90% silver. A lot of people hoarded the silver Kennedy half-dollar and as a result, the coin didn’t circulate well.

To make things worse, at that time, silver was becoming more expensive. This caused more people not just to hoard, but also to melt the half-dollar silver coin. In 1965, the silver content of the Kennedy coin was reduced to 40%, in a bid to encourage circulation. However, it still didn’t work. In 1971, silver was entirely removed from the Kennedy coins as well as other coins.

There were a lot of efforts made to persuade people to use the Kennedy half-dollar. Production of the coin was increased. Yet, the Kennedy half-dollar coin still didn’t circulate well. Finally, in 2001, the production of Kennedy coins was discontinued. Today, the U.S. Mint produces Kennedy coins primarily for collectors.

Is A 1979 Kennedy Half Dollar Silver?

The 1979 Kennedy half dollar is not made of silver. It is made of copper and nickel instead. The ones with silver content are the Kennedy half dollar made from 1964 to 1970. In 1976, there was a special silver collectors’ version as well.

From 1992-2018, silver proofs were made with 90% silver. Silver proofs made from 2019 onwards were made of 99% silver.

If you want to confirm if your 1979 Kennedy half dollar is silver, you can do a visual inspection. Check the edge. If you see solid silver reeds, then it is made of silver.

Do a drop test as well. Silver coins have a higher pitch when dropped compared to copper-nickel coins that have a thud sound.

1979 Half Dollar Varieties

There are different varieties of the 1979 half-dollar coins. Most of them differ based on their mint marks. Here are some of these varieties worth noting:

1979 P Half Dollar (No Mint Mark)

photo source: USA Coin Book

The 1979 P Kennedy 50-cent coin was struck in the Philadelphia Mint. It doesn’t have a mint mark like other coins made in Philadelphia. The usual selling price of the 1979 P Kennedy half-dollar coin is $0.50 to $2.28. There were about 68,312,000 of these coins made.

1979 D Half Dollar

photo source: USA Coin Book

By the end of 1979, the Denver Mint produced more than 15,815,000 D Kennedy half dollars. If you have one of these, you may be able to sell it for up to $2.45. However, a higher price is given to rare and beautiful 1979 D 50-cent coins.

1979 S Half Dollar Proof

The 1979 S Half Dollar was made in the San Francisco Mintage and comes with the “S” mint mark. It seems to be the most expensive among the usual varieties. This is due to the low mintage of 3.6 million. The fewer the coins are, the rarer it gets, which drives up their value.

Aside from that, the S Kennedy half-dollar coins in 1979 were proof. This means that the coins were shinier, more detailed, and more impressive compared to other coins from Denver and Philadelphia.
However, what really makes the 1979 S dollar more expensive is it comes in two varieties. These are the following:

Type 1 – Filled S

The type 1 S Kennedy 50-cent coin has a smaller “S” mint mark compared to what you will see in type 2. The “S” mint mark is partially filled as well.

Type 2 – Clear S

The type 2 S Kennedy 50-cent coin has a more detailed and well-defined S mint mark.

List of errors

There are 1979 half dollars made with errors. One of the well-known errors is when the 1979 Kennedy coin was accidentally struck on Susan B. Anthony planchets.

The Anthony planchets were slightly smaller than the die. So, when the Kennedy die struck these planchets, some elements were missing.

Aside from the planchet error, 1979 half-dollar coins also experienced off-center strikes, strikethrough, broad strikes, and missing clad layers.

How Much Is A 1979 Kennedy Half Dollar Worth Today?

The 1979 Kennedy half-dollar is fun to collect. However, its worth is almost just the same as its face value, which is fifty cents. The melt value is even lower at $0.1012.

There are still other 1979 Kennedy half dollar coins that are worth more. For example, 1979 50-cent coins with errors can be more expensive. Coins with higher grades are also sold at a higher price.

To give you an example, here’s a table for you to compare:

How Does The Grading System Work?

The Sheldon Scale is used by numismatists to provide a numerical value to coins. The Sheldon Scale goes from poor (P-1) to perfect mint state (P-1) (MS-70). Coins were originally evaluated using words to reflect their condition (Good, Fair, Excellent, Etc.). Unfortunately, coin collectors and dealers had different ideas about what each of these terms represent.

Professional numismatists joined together in the 1970s and established CoinGrading standards. These numismatists now assign grades at key places on the seventy-point scale, using the most regularly utilized numeric points in conjunction with the original adjective grade. The following are the most common coin grades:

1. 1. • (P-1) Poor – Indistinguishable and probably damaged; if used, must have a date and mintmark; otherwise, rather battered.
      • (FR-2) Fair – Nearly smooth, but without the damage that a coin graded Poor often possesses. The coin must have enough detail to be identified.
      • (G-4) Fair – Inscriptions have merged into the rims in some areas, and important elements have been mostly erased.
      • (VG-8) Very Good- A little weathered, but all of the primary design elements are visible, albeit faintly. There is little if any, central detail left.
      • (F-12) Good – The item is very worn, yet the wear is even, and the overall design details stand out clearly. Rims are almost completely isolated from the field.
      • (VF-20) Very Fine – Moderately weathered, with some finer features still visible. The motto or all letters of LIBERTY are readable. Both sides of the coin have entire rims that are separated from the field.
      • (EF-40) Extremely Fine – Gently used; all gadgets are visible, and the most important ones are bold. The finer details are bold and clear, however, light wear may be seen.
      • (AU-50) Uncirculated – Slight evidence of wear on the coin’s design’s high points; may have contact marks; eye appeal should be adequate.
      • (AU-58) Uncirculated Choice – Slight traces of wear, no severe contact marks, almost full mint shine, and great eye appeal.
      • (MS-60) Mint State Basal – Strictly uncirculated; no indication of wear on the coin’s highest points, but an unsightly coin with reduced luster, visible contact marks, hairlines, and other flaws.
      • (MS-63) Mint State Acceptable – Uncirculated, but with contact scratches and nicks, little reduced shine, but otherwise appealing appearance. The strike is weak to average.
      • (MS-65) Mint State Choice – Uncirculated with great mint shine, very little contact blemishes, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is unusually severe.
      • (MS-68) Mint State Premium Quality – Uncirculated with superb luster, no obvious contact marks to the naked eye, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is quick and appealing.
      • (MS-69) Almost Perfect Mint State – Uncirculated with perfect brilliance, a sharp and appealing strike, and extremely good eye appeal. A near-perfect coin with minor imperfections in the planchet, strike, and contact markings (seen only under 8x magnification).
      • (MS-70) Mint State Perfect – Under 8x magnification, there are no tiny imperfections discernible; the strike is crisp, and the coin is perfectly centered on a beautiful planchet. Rarely seen on a coin, this coin is bright and whole, with original luster and exceptional eye appeal.

Where To Buy Or Sell 1979 Half Dollars?

Today, the Internet serves as a great marketplace to buy and sell 1979 half dollars. Some of the most popular websites include Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. Be sure to buy from reputable sellers to avoid scams.

Aside from that, you can also visit coin shops or join auctions in your local area. Some of these shops can even sell you rare 1979 coins. They can also buy your 1979 half-dollar coins.

FAQ

Where is the mint mark on a 1979 Kennedy half dollar?

You can find the mint mark of a 1979 Kennedy half dollar beneath the neck of Kennedy.

What makes the 1979 Kennedy half dollar rare?

The 1979 Kennedy half dollar becomes rare when it has unique attributes. For example, a Kennedy 50-cent coin with an error can become more valuable because it becomes unique and different from others. When there are fewer 1979 half-dollar coins, the coin would also become rarer.

Which Kennedy half dollars are most valuable?

To date, the most valuable Kennedy half-dollar coin was the 1964 Kennedy half dollar. A person bidder it for $108,000 during a 2019 public auction held by the Heritage Auction.