1989 Kennedy Half Dollar Value Guide (Incld. Rare Varieties)

What Is the 1989 Kennedy Half Dollar Made Of?

The 1989 Kennedy half-dollar is made of 75% copper and 25% copper. It has a pure and solid copper core while it is clad with nickel on the surface.

The 1989 Kennedy half a dollar has a value of 50 cents, a mass of 11.34 grams, a diameter of 30.6 mm, and a thickness of 2.15 mm. It has a reeded edge and is one of the most circulated coins in the United States.

photo source: USA Coin Book

When it comes to design, the obverse features the left-facing image of John F. Kennedy. The obverse side of the 1989 Kennedy half-dollar was designed by Gilroy Roberts.

Here are the inscriptions you’ll find on the obverse side:

• LIBERTY
• IN GOD WE TRUST
• 1989
• Mint mark (if present)

On the reverse side, you’ll find the modified presidential seal. Frank Gasparro designed the reverse side and has included a few elements that come with various meanings.

For example, the eagle symbolizes a lot of the virtues that Americans value the most, which include courage, truth, and freedom. The eagle clutches an olive branch on its right talon, which represents peace. On the left talon, the eagle clutches arrows which represent readiness to go to war to protect the country.

In front of the eagle is a shield that represents the colonies. The eagle also holds a ribbon that bears the words, “E Pluribus Unum,” which means “Out of many, one.”

The inscriptions on the reverse side include the following:

• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• HALF DOLLAR

The United States Mint started to produce the Kennedy half dollar in 1964 as a way to honor the legacy that Kennedy left to the nation. Initially, the Kennedy half dollar was made of silver. However, due to hoarding, in 1971, the US Mint decided to eventually make the Kennedy half dollar as well as other coins to be made with base metals.

1989 Kennedy Half Dollar Varieties

The 1989 Kennedy half dollar comes in different varieties. Each of them comes with unique features and background details. Here are some of them:

1989-P Kennedy Half Dollar

photo source: PCGS

The 1989-P Kennedy half a dollar was produced in the Philadelphia mint. The typical selling price of this coin is around $0.50 to $5.00. After 1989, there were about 24,542,000 Kennedy P half-dollar coins produced.

1989-D Kennedy Half Dollar

photo source: PCGS

The same as the 1989 P version, the 1989 Kennedy D half a dollar is typically sold at around $0.50 to $5.00. However, rare and beautiful coins can be sold for a few hundred dollars. The Denver Mint produced about 12 million 1989 Kennedy D half-dollar coins.

1989 S Kennedy Half Dollar Proof

photo source: PCGS

The 1989 S Kennedy half dollar proof is the most beautiful variety among the types of coins mentioned so far. It is proof, which means that each of these coins were hand wiped and polished to bring out a more luster and detailed look.

As proof coins, the S Kennedy 50 cent also comes with a deep cameo. This means that if you look at the hair, wrinkles, and ears of Kennedy, you’ll see they are more pronounced.

Since it takes more time to produce S Kennedy half-dollar, the San Francisco Mint was only able to produce about three million of these coins, which is significantly lower compared to other varieties.

Nevertheless, because Kennedy S half-dollar is more beautiful, they are likely more expensive than other varieties.

List Of 1989 Kennedy Half Dollar Errors

Aside from the usual 1989 half dollar variety, there are also some coins made with errors. These can be due to errors in strike, planchet, or position.

Here are the most common half-dollar errors known:

1989-D Kennedy Half Dollar Misaligned Die Off Center

photo source: eBay

In this example, there’s a misaligned die error on the obverse side. On eBay, this coin is priced at $6.95.

1989-D Kennedy Half Dollar Missing Star

photo source: coinTalk

On the reverse side, you’ll find the eagle surrounded by 50 stars, which represents the 50 states of the United States. However, this coin is missing one star as shown in the image above. The error might have been caused by grease, debris, or dirt that prevented the die from fully striking the coin.

How Much Is 1989 Kennedy Half Dollar Worth Today?

The usual 1989 Kennedy half-dollar isn’t that valuable. It is worth its face value, which is $0.50. It has an even lower melt value of $0.01005. Nevertheless, there are those 1989 Kennedy half-dollar coins that are still worth more money.

Here’s a table to give you an idea of the 1989 half-dollar coin value:

Are There Any Rare 1989 Kennedy Half Dollars?

With about 40 million Kennedy half dollar coins produced, this coin isn’t considered to be rare. However, business-strike coins with grades higher than MS66 are generally considered rare based on their condition and uniqueness.

According to Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), the most expensive 1989 Kennedy half-dollar ever sold in an auction is a half-dollar with MS 68 grade. It was sold for $3,349.97 in an auction made on eBay.

MS 68 means that the coin was flawless and it has retained the original mint luster. It only has 3-4 minor contact marks and a few light hairlines may be detected upon magnification.

For the proof version, a 1989-S Kennedy 50-cent coin with a PR70 grade was sold for $552.00. 

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 1989 Kennedy Half Dollar?

There are different places you can buy or sell 1989 Kennedy half-dollars. One of the quickest ways to find a 1989 Kennedy half-dollar for sale would be on the Internet.

The most popular places to buy coins would be on eBay, Amazon, and Etsy. There are also websites that specialize in selling coins. In most cases, the same websites also will help you sell coins.

Aside from online, you can also find 1989 Kennedy coins in coin shops, collectors, and antique shops.

FAQs

What makes a 1989 Kennedy Half Dollar rare?

The 1989 Kennedy half a dollar becomes rare when there’s only a few of them. As mentioned, the 1989 Kennedy half-dollar isn’t rare at all. With millions of 1989 half-dollars in existence today, you can easily find them.

However, a 1989 Kennedy half-dollar becomes rare when it is given a high Mint State or Proof grade. Having a grading of above MS 66 makes a 50-cent coin conditionally rare since there are only a few MS 66 50-cent coins existing today. To date, the most expensive 1989 Kennedy 50-cent coin ever sold is a coin with an MS 68 grade.

Aside from that, a 1989 Kennedy half a dollar becomes rare when it has unique attributes usually brought about by minting errors.

Should I keep 1989 Kennedy half dollars?

Yes, you can keep 1989 Kennedy half dollars. As time passes by, the value of your 1989 Kennedy half dollar would increase. It may take a few more years, but eventually, the older your coin is, the higher its value becomes.

Is a 1989 P half dollar worth anything?

The 1989 P half dollar is as valuable as its face value, which is $0.50. So, if you base it on its face value, then yes, it’s worth anything. However, a 1989 P half dollar can easily increase its value when it receives an MS 67 and above grade.

What year half dollars are silver?

The half dollars made from 1965 to 1970 were made of silver. Specifically, these coins are made of 60% copper and 40% silver. In 1964, the half-dollar was also made of 90% silver and 10% copper.