1996 Kennedy Half Dollar Value Guide

The 1996 half dollar is part of the Kennedy half dollar series that was first issued by the US Mint in 1964, a year after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States.

As you can imagine, the 1996 Kennedy half dollar is rich in history. Thus, you might consider completing your collection of all Kennedy half dollars today. If yes, then you should never miss the 1996 50-cent.

Continue reading and discover the value, composition, history, and design of the 1996 Kennedy half dollar.

What Is the 1996 Kennedy Half Dollar Made Of?

The composition of a coin directly affects its value. So, it’s worth knowing what the 1996 Kennedy half dollar is made of.

The 1996 Kennedy half dollar is composed of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel. Its value is 50 cents with a mass of 11.30 grams and a diameter of 30.61 millimeters.

There were two designers of the Kennedy half dollar —for the obverse, Gilroy Roberts, and for the reverse, Frank Gasparro. Their designs were based on their earlier work since they didn’t have enough time to create new ones.

For the obverse, you’ll find the bust of John Kennedy, facing to the left. Inscriptions include LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, mint mark (if present), and 1996.

You’ll find the heraldic eagle holding an olive branch and arrows for the reverse. You’ll find a banner on its beak that says, “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” Inscriptions include the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and HALF DOLLAR.

One of the darkest moments in the history of the United States was when its then-president, Kennedy, was shot dead on November 22, 1963. From there, there were serious considerations about placing Kennedy’s portrait on one of the silver coins. Later, the half-dollar coin was chosen since Mrs. Kennedy didn’t want to replace the portrait of Washington on the quarter dollar.

One thing that could have prevented the creation of a new Kennedy half dollar was that according to existing law at that time, a coin design should last at least 25 years before replacing it. The Franklin half dollar was only 15 years old. However, due to the unanimous decision of Congress to add Kennedy to the coin, the Act of 1963 was passed, and the US Mint was set to issue Kennedy half dollars in the following year.

When the first Kennedy half dollars went into circulation, it was so popular that many people didn’t want to spend their newly acquired coin. As a result, widespread hoarding led to the Kennedy half-dollar shortage. The US Mint increased its production but to no avail.

Later, the solution seen by the US Mint was to remove the silver content of the Kennedy half dollar. Today, the Kennedy half dollar has become a popular US coin cherished locally and abroad.

1996 Kennedy Half Dollar Varieties

There are four varieties of the 1996 Kennedy half dollar. These are the following:

The Philadelphia and Denver Mint produced the regular coins, while the San Francisco Mint produced the proof coins. The US Mint also produced special Kennedy silver proof coins in 1996.

Aside from the regular coins struck in the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, the San Francisco issued proof coins and silver proof coins. At the end of 1996, the US Mint produced more than 51 million half dollars.

Let’s now take a deeper look at each of the 1996 Kennedy half dollar varieties:

1996 P Kennedy Half Dollar

The 1996 Kennedy half dollar should be easy to find in grades up to MS66 condition. Although 1996 half-dollar coins in grades MS67 are difficult to find, you might find some in bags, sets, and rolls with more time and effort.

1996 D Kennedy Half Dollar

Like the 1996-P Kennedy half dollar, you can find the 1996-D in grades up to MS66. You can still find them in MS67 and MS68 grades but with more effort.

1996 S Kennedy Half Dollar

The San Francisco Mint produced more than 1.7 million proof coins in 1996. The 1996-S half dollar coin was made with more precision and care than the regular coins.

1996 S Silver Kennedy Half Dollar

The San Francisco Mint produced a special 1996 Kennedy half dollar edition. This time, the Mint produced a silver proof coin, which is more valuable.

List Of 1996 Kennedy Half Dollar Errors

With the mass production of the 1996 Kennedy half dollar coins, some would inevitably come with errors. Although it may sound negative, many collectors are highly interested in error coins since they are unique and, sometimes, rare. Thus, it is unsurprising that some half dollar error coins are even more valuable than regular coins.

Here are some examples of 1996 Kennedy half dollar error coins:

Clipped planchet error

Most coin errors happen when the die strikes the coin. However, a clipped planchet error happens before the coin even gets the chance to hop into the hubbing machine.

A clipped planchet happens when there’s a misalignment between the cutting blade and the planchet. As a result, some portion of the coin is clipped or missing.

Here’s an example of a coin with two clipped areas:

Die clash

Two dies are used to mint a coin — the obverse and reverse dies. Die clash happens when the two dies hit each other when there’s no planchet between them. The strong collision force can damage the die. Die clash would then cause some unintended marks on the coin.

Here’s what a die clash error looks like in a 1996 Kennedy half dollar:

Die break error

Dies hit blank coins multiple times in a very short period. Due to wear and tear, the die could break and develop a crack. When the die hits the planchet, the crack would leave a mark on the coin’s surface.

Here’s an example of a die break error:

How Much Is the 1996 Kennedy Half Dollar Worth Today?

If you’re going to buy or sell a 1996 Kennedy half dollar, the biggest question you may have is about its value. The price of a coin depends on its rarity and condition. If it is both in superb condition and rare simultaneously, it can surely be worth a lot of money.

However, ordinary and regular 1996 Kennedy half dollars may be less than a dollar. The face value of the 1996 Kennedy coin is just 50 cents. The melt value is just $0.1154. The melt value of the 1996 Kennedy half dollar silver proof coin is higher, which is $7.6571, due to its silver content.

With this in mind, you’ll be surprised that there are some 1996 Kennedy half dollar coins worth several hundred or thousands of dollars.

Here’s a table to show you the auction records of half-dollar coins:

Where To Buy Or Sell 1996 Kennedy Half Dollar?

The 1996 Kennedy half dollar is available in coin shops and private dealers. Visiting every coin shop in your area might take time and energy. So, the best is to call them first.

If you want a quick and easy way to buy or sell a 1996 Kennedy half dollar, you should try the Internet. Living in this digital world, you can find a Kennedy half dollar online. You can do a quick Google search and receive thousands of results.

You can also directly go to Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Coin Appraiser, USA Coin Book, and other websites that let you buy and sell 50-cent coins.