1996-S Silver Kennedy Half Dollar Proof
Proof struck at the San Francisco Mint · 775,021 made
- Mintage
- 775,021
- Metal
- 90% silver, 10% copper
- Weight
- 12.5 g
- Diameter
- 30.61 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1996-S Silver Kennedy Half Dollar Proof worth?
Its silver content sets the floor. Collectors add a small premium on top for this issue. Condition decides how much.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1996-S Silver Kennedy Half Dollar Proof rare?
- Not especially. The Mint made 775,021 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 1996-S Silver Kennedy Half Dollar Proof silver?
- Yes. It's 90% silver, 10% copper and holds 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1996 Kennedy Half Dollar?
- On the obverse, below Kennedy's portrait and above the date. On this coin the mark is S, for San Francisco.
- How many 1996-S Silver Kennedy Half Dollar proofs were made?
- 775,021.
What to check on your 1996-S
- Make sure the mint mark really is an S. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1996-P (24 million made).
- Judge the grade under good light. Check the hair above Kennedy's ear and the center of the eagle on the reverse.
Proofs from 1996 come with and without frosted devices. Coins with strong contrast are labeled Cameo or Deep Cameo and are worth more.
The story of the 1996-S
Eagle reverse and dwindling demand (1977 to 2001)
The eagle reverse returned in 1977. Halves saw little use in commerce and mintages fell into the tens of millions, then lower. The 1982 Philadelphia issue includes a variety missing Gasparro's FG initials from the reverse. In 1987 no halves were made for circulation; the 2,890,758 coins from each mint went only into uncirculated sets.
Silver proofs in 90 percent silver returned in 1992. A 1998-S matte finish silver half, 64,141 struck, was sold in a set honoring Robert F. Kennedy and is one of the scarcest modern Kennedys. Circulation strikes of this period often show bag marks from handling in large bags. Well-preserved examples of the low mintage dates, such as 1987, are worth seeking. The 1999 Philadelphia run of 8.9 million was also small.
How to recognize it
Gilroy Roberts' portrait shows John F. Kennedy facing left with LIBERTY above, IN GOD WE TRUST below and the date at the bottom. The reverse, by Frank Gasparro, is based on the Presidential seal: an eagle holding arrows and an olive branch surrounded by a ring of 50 stars. The mint mark was on the reverse in 1964 and has been below Kennedy's neck since 1968.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Kennedy Half Dollar (1964–present) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 775,021 |
| Face value | 50¢ |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Weight | 12.5 grams |
| Diameter | 30.61 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Silver content | 0.3617 troy oz (11.250 g) |
| Designer | Gilroy Roberts (obverse); Frank Gasparro (reverse) |
Other 1996 Kennedy Half Dollar issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-P Kennedy Half Dollar | 24,442,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1996-D Kennedy Half Dollar | 24,744,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1996-S Kennedy Half Dollar Proof | 1,750,244 | Proof | – |
| 1996-S Silver Kennedy Half Dollar Proof | 775,021 | Proof | 0.3617 oz |
Mintage: Kennedy half dollar mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.