Last summer while sifting through my grandmother’s old coin collection, I found a few Kennedy half-dollars hidden in a tattered velvet pouch.
What started as a nostalgic afternoon going through heirlooms quickly turned into an awe-inspiring treasure hunt.
“You may want to get those appraised,” my uncle, himself a casual coin collector, suggested. “Nobody can imagine what some of those Kennedy halves are worth today.”
His casual remark piqued my curiosity and sent me on a numismatic research rabbit hole that showed the stunning truth: some Kennedy half-dollars have values far greater than their fifty-cent face value — multiple six-figure prices.
The Kennedy half-dollar series, in production since 1964 in honor of the assassinated president, has generated numerous rarities that serious collectors and investors actively pursue.
If these coins turned up in their pocket change or coin jar — and most people wouldn’t look twice at them — they’d never see a dime.
But knowing what to look for could, potentially, lead to a life-changing discovery worth tens — even hundreds — of thousands of dollars.
Here are eight incredible Kennedy half-dollars that may be hiding in your pockets — potentially worth a small fortune to the astute collector.
1. 1964 Special Mint Set “SMS” Kennedy Half-Dollar: Up to $150,000
The 1964 Special Mint Set specimen may be the equivalent of the holy grail of Kennedy half-dollars.
This exceptional coin ranks as an experimental striking that was never released to the public, and only about a dozen examples are currently known to exist.
These coins exhibit a satin finish that is a far cry from both the usual business strikes and proof coins of that year.
These traits include sharper rim definition, bolder design details, and that unmistakable satin surface texture that reflects light differently from common specimens.
Exceptional examples of the bottle were even known to fetch eye-watering sums at auction — in 2019, one outstanding example sold for just shy of $156,000.
Sharply struck, the coin offered nearly flawless surfaces free from any bothersome marks or imperfections.
“The ‘64 SMS half-dollar is pretty much the Mona Lisa of modern American coins,” explained Thomas Hayward, a veteran dealer in coins, who I consulted about these rarities.
“And the average collector has never even seen one in his lifetime.”
What makes this coin especially tricky is that, to the unaccustomed/undiscerning eye, it could simply appear to be a well-preserved ordinary 1964 half-dollar.
It is not until viewed under appropriate light and magnifications that its unique characteristics are revealed to veteran collectors.
2. 1970-D Kennedy Half-Dollar: $35,000 or more
The 1970-D Kennedy, however, is an outlier in American coinage, an odd transitional year.
Although the U.S. Mint had already taken the exit plan of removing silver from half-dollars in 1965, coins striking at the 1970 Denver Mint were struck in 40% silver and was only for inclusion in mint sets. All were meant for private circulation.
But some of these coins, especially in mint or uncirculated condition, have drawn astonishing prices at auction. A specimen graded MS-67 sold for $35,250 in 2021, surprising many in the numismatic field.
“The ’70-D in top condition seems exceptionally scarce because the mint’s handling procedures weren’t particularly careful with coins not intended for circulation,
” said currency historian Eleanor Brooks during a research interview. It’s genuinely rare to find one without bag marks or scratches.”
The point of identification is the D mint-mark below the portrait of Kennedy, indicating production at the Denver Mint.
3. 1966 No FG Kennedy Half-Dollar: As much as $25,000
This variety sounds mighty valuable, and for good reason — It’s a minting error that’s simply fascinating.
The initials “FG” (for Frank Gasparro, the coin’s designer) normally appear on the reverse of Kennedy half-dollars near the bottom of the Presidential Seal. On this range of error, those initials is totally absent.
This happened after the die—and the one used to strike these coins—was polished so aggressively that it removed the initials of the designer entirely.
There are only a few known authenticated examples of this, so if you come across one it will be a sensational find.
“I’ve handled well over ten thousand of 1966 Kennedy halves in my career, and I’ve found exactly two genuine No FG specimens,” professional coin grader Marcus Thompson shared.
“Most people who say they have one don’t, they just have coins where the initials are worn down but not missing.”
An accurately yoked 1966 No FG Kennedy in uncirculated grade was sold for $24,675 in a specialist sale in 2023.
4. 1974-D Double Die Obverse: To $18,000
Double die errors are caused when a single die impresses on a hub multiple times, in slightly different places, during its manufacture.
So the result is a coin that shows doubling in various areas of the design — here, most prominently in the lettering of “LIBERTY” and the date.
The 1974-D double die Kennedy is especially sought after because the doubling is strong enough to be seen by the naked eye if you know what to look for. Enlarged, the result is undeniable with obvious separation in the text.
At a coin show in Chicago last year, I watched a collector nearly faint when an appraiser confirmed his example to be genuine, appraising it at about $15,000 because of its extraordinary condition.
“Double dies are interesting to people because it’s no mistake that it should ever have gotten out into circulation,
” said Sandra Martinez, a mint technician turned author who hosts a blog about coins. “But there they are, valuable precisely because they’re human error in a mechanical process.
5. 1979-S Type 2 Proof “Clear S”—$4,500
In mid-1979, the San Francisco Mint changed the design of its “S” mintmark on proof coins, replacing the filled, somewhat blobby appearance with a much clearer, more defined “S.”
To casual observers, this may not seem like much of a difference, but it makes two flavors of the year, with the Type 2 “Clear S” being much rarer. When in uncirculated condition, such proof coins have commanded prices exceeding $4,000.
The difficulty of spotting this variety is that you need to actually compare directly next to each other for context to appreciate how much they differ.
The Type 2 has much more pronounced serifs at both the top and bottom of the S, with a crisper overall definition.
“Be careful with these — I do recommend collectors use a 10x loupe and good light when inspecting these,” said Rebecca Wong, a veteran coin dealer.
“The difference is clear once you know exactly what you are taking for.”
6. Silver Matte Finish 1998–S: Up to $3,500
In 1998, the U.S. Mint released a special matte finish silver half-dollar as part of the Kennedy Collector’s Set, which has an appearance not found on normal proof or uncirculated coins.
The resulting surface had a satiny, almost sandblasted quality that yielded an unusual visual effect.
These special pieces have become ever more popular, and hard to find, owing to their paltry mintage of just 62,000, orders of magnitude less than for conventional proof coins, especially in perfect condition.
“The ‘98 matte finish is unique because it was where the Mint was toying with different styles of finishing,” James Hernandez, the museum’s curator, told me during my research.
“They were trying to do something that would appeal specifically to serious collectors — as opposed to casual buyers.”
These coins, in pristine condition with no handling marks, have fetched prices nearing $3,500 at specialized auctions.
7. 1964 Highlighted Pudding Hairdo: $3,000
A 1964 design variation that occurred early in initial production shows more definition of hair above Kennedy’s ear; this is known as the ‘hair over ear’ style.
One of them, the “Accented Hair” type, was said to be disliked by Jacqueline Kennedy herself, prompting some changes that produced two separate varieties rather than just one for the inaugural year.
The Accented Hair variant is much rarer, showing hair details that seem more pronounced and totally distinct from each other.
Not immediately apparent to casual observers but obvious in a head-to-head comparison, the gap is particularly pronounced at the hairline above the ear.
“The ‘64 Accented Hair is a kind of intriguing moment where even America’s former First Lady had a say about how our coins would look,” presidential historian Patricia Lawson said when we spoke.
“It’s literally a presidential artifact, altered at the request of a bereaved widow.”
Exemplars have reached $2000-$3000; proofs have brought even more.
8. 2014-W Gold 50th Anniversary: As Much As $3,000
The U.S. Mint created a special solid gold (. 9999 fine), a three-quarters-of-an-ounce version.
While they originally sold at around $1,240 (with taxes included, this meant the price reflected at gold value plus premium), prices on the market have shot up for perfect examples.
What makes them especially interesting is that they are considered both collectible coins and gold bullion, which gives them a floor value based on the content of precious metal, but allows a premium depending on condition and collector demand.
“Gold Kennedy is the perfect storm for value appreciation,” said precious metals analyst Jordan Reynolds. “It combines historical significance, limited mintage, fine gold content and real beauty.”
Especially desirable examples packaged in their original government envelopes have commanded around $3,000, with possible appreciation potential as the anniversary recedes into the past.
Scavenging for Secret Loot
What’s especially remarkable about these valuable Kennedy half-dollars is that many varieties may still exist circulating or in old collections.
Most of the examples that are worth huge sums — like the 1964 SMS — are exceedingly unlikely to appear in people’s pocket change, but varieties like the 1966 No FG or 1974-D Double Die could, in theory, be spotted by eagle-eye collectors searching through rolls that they’ve purchased from banks or inherited from their parents’ or grandparents’ collections.
My own fascination with Kennedy half-dollars dates to a moment of simple curiosity — but became an obsession.
I have looked at thousands of these coins myself, and while I’ve not yet been rewarded with the eventual $150,000 specimen, I find the daily treasure hunt to be its own reward.
“The great thing about coin collecting is knowledge is literally money,” said the auction specialist Timothy Greene.
“There may be a coin worth thousands just sitting in somebody’s drawer right now, and they just won’t recognize it until the right person with the right information comes along.
For those wanting to start their own search, coin roll hunting is still one of the most accessible methods to get going.
Most banks will order rolls of half-dollars on request; each roll constitutes fifty potential discoveries waiting to be investigated.
Whether you are a seasoned numismatist or just a person who wants to know if the coinage slipping through your fingers has the potential for treasure in your change jar, here are eight rare Kennedy half-dollars that might make you want to check the offerings between your fingers.
After all, you never know when a routine transaction will yield a coin worth significantly more than its face value — maybe even one worth a small fortune.