1972 Kennedy Half Dollar

Notes:

The mint mark for the 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar is on the Obverse/Front. If no mint mark is present it is a P and was minted in Philadelphia. This coin has no silver value.

This was only the second year that the US Mint issued Kennedy Half Dollars in a non silver state. Anything after 1970 contains no silver, with the exception of errors listed below. These coins are a copper-nickel composition, being a nickel jacket over a copper core. Errors include obverse die breaks, struck on nickel planchet, struck on quarter planchet, off center strikes up to 70%, double strikes, and clipped planchets

Most Valuable Errors

1972 was another rough year for the United States mint. Just 2 years after the mint switched from 40% silver to a blend of 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel. This new blend required new planchets to be created, and because of this there are many instances of Half Dollars from 1971, and 1972 being struck on the wrong planchet.

1972 Half Dollar Errors

(Click to Enlarge Image)

Here are just a few of the main errors that can be found sorting through half dollars. 1972 S Half Dollar Struck on Cent Planchet - one of the many instances of the mint using the wrong planchet for this year. This coin was struck on a copper penny planchet A large portion of the coin is missing as the copper planchet is smaller Red or orange in color.

1972 D and S Half Dollars Struck on 5C Planchet - these specimens were struck on nickel planchets. They visually have the same color but again a portion of the Half Dollar will be missing because a nickel planchet is smaller than a half dollar planchet.

1972 D Half Dollar Struck on 25C Planchet - These half dollar errors look as if a die was misaligned and struck only a portion of the planchet, but in fact the error is caused by the die striking a quarter planchet. This coin should weigh roughly 5.670 grams, the standard weight of a post 1964 quarter. This error can be easily overlooked.

1972 Half Dollar Missing Clad Layer - These coins may look similar to the struck on penny planchet as the center of this coin is made of a similar material. The clad layer is the outermost portion of the planchet. The outer is a tin/nickel blend and the center a copper blend. The main difference is that this coin will have all of its lettering and rim intact while the coin struck on the penny planchet will be missing.

More Common Half Dollar Errors

1972 DDO / DDR Half Dollar - When the planchet is struck more than once on the same face by the die this causes a Double Die Error. DDO means front, DDR means Reverse.

1972 Clipped Planchet 50C - When a round die clips the edge of a coin it will create a cookie cutter appearance on the edge of the coin. In other words a portion of the half dollar in the shape of a crescent will be missing.

Off Center Strike - When the die strikes an improperly seated plachet off-center this is the error it creates. Strikes can be anywhere from 5% to 95% off center. The more off center the more of the blank planchet will be left behind.

Price Chart

Rates listed here refer to professionally graded and slabbed coins. If new to collecting the prices below might not make sense.

Breakdown of pricing per condition for 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar by individual grade.

• Grade MS62 = $2-$3
• Grade MS63 = $2-$4
• Grade MS64 = $5-$9
• Grade MS65 = $12-$20

Is the list above a little overwhelming? If so, take 5 minutes to learn all about Coin Grading.

It's also important to note...Prices are subject to the same supply and demand laws as everything else. Coins sold at the same auction house 10x, would fetch drastically different bids each session. To raise your chances of receiving top dollar read How to Get the Most for your Coins.

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How much is a 1972 Kennedy Half Dollar worth?

In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around 50 cents, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $15 at auction. This price does not reference any standard coin grading scale. So when we say Average Circulated, we mean in a similar condition to other coins circulated in 1972, and mint state meaning it is certified MS+ by one of the top coin grading companies. *** [?].

What are your coins really worth?

Use the handy-dandy calculator below to find the real value of any kennedy half dollar in your collection.

Specs & Design

This coin has a total mass of 11.34 g, a diameter of 30.6 mm, and a thickness of 2.15 mm. It's edge is Reeded, and the coins are composed of 1971 - Present 75% copper, 25% nickel, 1965-1970 40% silver 60% copper, 1964 - 90% Silver 10% copper.

Designer: Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro

Front (Obverse): The front or coin obverse contains the profile of John F. Kennedy gazing to the left. The words In GOD We Trust and Liberty are engraved. Mint marks are located to the bottom center of the bust. The date is present as well.

Back (Reverse): Contains a bald eagle grasping 13 arrow in its right claw, and am olive branch also containing 13 olives. A shield protects the eagles chest. 13 stars radiate along lines stemming from the eagles wings. These represent the original 13 colonies. The words United States of America and Half Dollar are present and engraved on the reverse as well.

P, D, S, W mint marks are present on coins. The initials FG stand for Frank Gasparro the designer of the coins reverse.