Notes: 
(Click to Enlarge Image)
In 1966 the United States mint would switch to a lower 40% silver content in their Half Dollars, and totally remove the silver in Quarters, and Dimes. These coins were mass produced from the Philadelphia mint, with some coins being produced in San Francisco but only to be released in Special Mint Sets. Special mint sets are listed and rated with a SP prefix and not an MS prefix.
1966 40% Silver Kennedy Half Dollars are pretty popular right now. With the price of silver and the run on commodities. If you want silver half dollars but don't want to spend too much per coin the 1966 Halves may be the way to go. Previous years contained 90% silver, while the 1966 versions only contain 40% making each 1966 version roughly half the price of a pre 66 version. There are no FG (designer initials) versions of this coin worth around 5, 6, even 700 dollars certified. Like other types of coin this year there are no versions minted at the San Fran and / or Denver mints. Errors include die rotations, lamination errors, double dies, off center strikes, and even struck on 1 silver clad 25 cent planchet. The 1966 Kennedy Half Dollar is considered a key date by coin investors and worth remembering.
(Double Die Half Dollar Error)
Mintages
Questions & Comments
Anonymous: I think my 1966 Half Dollar is a silver error. The edge of the coin doesnt have a Copper Ring like you said Nickel Plated Copper does. Are there such things that you know of? Posted: April 29, 2024 11:38 pm
Admin : Nice catch. Its not an error however. Not all coins minted after 1964 are a copper core and nickel plated. In fact the United States Mint would continue minting the Kennedy Half Dollars in silver until 1970. In fact Kennedy Half Dollar from 19651970 are 40 .1479 oz of silver. Hope that helps. Its fun to coin roll hunt for these as well as you can still find them occasionally. If you want to learn more about silver coins visit our US Silver Coin Page for live prices on US Silver coins. Thanks for posting. Reply posted: April 30, 2024 5:17 pm
Anonymous: Cameo or not Cameo? How do I know if my coin is Cameo. Also do you buy coins? Posted: May 14, 2024 10:47 pm
Admin : CAMEO designation as given by popular coin grading companies is the most reliable way to certain as they generally have 3 different grading specialist check off on the coin to be certain. We can tell you what to look for however. A cameo finish is defined as having loads of contrast between the raised portions of the coin and the flat unmarked portion of the coin, with the flat unmarked portion of the coin being highly reflective and a mirror finish, and the raised portions generally being call "Frosty". When you put a CAMEO, DCAM, or UCAM next to a non CAMEO the difference is night and day really. So if you can simply find another 1966 Half Dollar and hold them side by side. If they look almost identical it's likely not a 1966 CAMEO Half Dollar, but rather a regular Half. Hope that helps, thanks for posting!
Price Chart
Rates listed here refer to professionally graded and slabbed coins. If new to collecting the prices below might not make sense.
Prices below are for the SMS 40% Silver 1966 Kennedy Half Dollar. Remember even the poorest of conditions these coins are still worth .1479 oz. x current silver spot price.
- Grade MS63 = $8-$13
- Grade MS64 = $9-$15
- Grade MS65 = $11-$18
- Grade MS66 = $14-$23
- Grade MS67 = $23-$38
- Grade MS68 = $90-$150
Prices below are for the CAMEO SMS 40% Silver 1966 Kennedy Half Dollar. Remember even the poorest of conditions these coins are still worth .1479 oz. x current silver spot price. This price guide is not for those with "light cameo" a seller might suggest. Rather for those officially given the CAMEO designation by PCGS or NGC.
- Grade MS65 = $23-$38
- Grade MS66 = $41-$69
- Grade MS67 = $94-$156
- Grade MS68 = $225-$375
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.
We've personally researched these values. If you enjoy our content please return the favor and share this page with your friends.
How much is a 1966 Half Dollar worth?
In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around $4.00, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $20 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 1966, 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.
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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.
Most Valuable
The most valuable Kennedy Half Dollar's. Prices listed are for MS-65 certified. Visit the link to learn more about each coin.
| Image | Year | Mint | Worth |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
2014 | W | $3k |
 |
1964 | D | $115 |
|
2014 | W | $105 |
 |
1995 | S | $82 |
 |
1970 | S | $80 |
 |
2019 | S | $80 |
 |
1997 | S | $67 |
 |
1965 | $65 | |
 |
1969 | D | $65 |
 |
1970 | D | $65 |
 |
1964 | $55 | |
 |
1969 | S | $55 |
 |
1967 | $50 | |
 |
1999 | S | $48 |
 |
1971 | $46 | |
 |
1977 | S | $45 |
 |
1971 | S | $43 |
 |
1996 | S | $41 |
 |
1987 | S | $40 |
 |
1994 | S | $37 |
 |
1987 | D | $35 |
 |
1993 | S | $32 |
 |
1977 | $30 | |
 |
1977 | D | $30 |
 |
1987 | P | $30 |
 |
1973 | S | $27 |
 |
1968 | S | $26 |
 |
1979 | S | $25 |
 |
1985 | S | $25 |
 |
1998 | S | $25 |
 |
2001 | S | $24 |
 |
1971 | D | $23 |
 |
1966 | $20 | |
 |
1985 | D | $20 |
 |
1985 | P | $20 |
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 |
1989 | P | $345.22 |
|
1989 | $345,000 | |
|
1989 | D | $345 |
| Image | Name | Mint | Worth |
Want more? Click here to see the most valuable coins ever minted.
Are 1966 Half Dollars Silver?
Yes! Kennedy Half Dollar's produced in 1966 are 40% silver to be precise, and contain .1479 troy oz or 4.600 grams in total of .999 pure silver. Silver weight is measured in troy ounces. Troy ounces weigh about 2 grams more than the standard ounce. CoinTrackers has built a tool that will let you know if your coin is silver or not. The tool is called Is My Coin Silver?.
Numismatic vs Intrinsic Value:
This coin in poor condition is worth $0.68 less than the intrinsic value from silver content of $4.68, this coin is thus more valuable to a silver bug than to a coin collector. You will most likely find however that it is hard to get a coin for less than spot price. At least that has been our experience. Want more info? Then read Coin Collecting Investment an article that details the benefits of coin collecting as a way to build wealth..
Current silver melt value* for a 1985 P Kennedy is $4.68 and this price is based off the current silver spot price of $31.64 This value is dynamic so bookmark it and comeback for an up to the minute silver melt value.
***Price subject to standard supply and demand laws, dealer premiums, and other market variations. Prices represent past values fetched at online auctions, estate sales, certified coins being sold by dealers, and user submitted values. While we wholeheartedly try to give honest price estimates there are many factors besides appearance, metal content, and rarity that help make up the coins overall value. Call or visit your local coin dealer for more information.
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