1969 D Kennedy Half Dollar

Notes:

Unlike the S 1969 halves, there is no special mint set, or dcam / cam specimen for the Denver minted specimens.

These coins are instead upgraded by toning. Toning happens when silver coins age and are not cleaned. Even then toning is not certain. When the color of the coins surface tarnishes it creates a very desirable look. Think of old silver cutlery or an old silver plate.

Example of Rainbow Toning on a Silver Half Dollar

Example of normal silver toning on a 1969 d half dollar

On top of toning there is a PL designation which is actually added to some grades label. PL stands for Proof Like.

1969 PL Proof Like Example

See how the surface appears almost mirrorlike as if it was polished?

(Key Notes on 1969 50C)

No SMS (Special Mint Set)?

1969 was the 2nd year that official proofs and not special mint sets were issued. They were only issued at the San Francisco mint, and were finely polished to a mirror like surface. Philadelphia would cease to produce JFK halves, and the standard production of these coins would be moved to the Denver mint instead.

These coins are 40% silver for both regular and proof issues. They have a total silver weight of .1479 oz. Many gold plated proof specimens were created by third party companies, the mint did not create gold plated 50c halves.

1969 Half Dollar Errors

Clipped Planchet $30-$300 the 50c planchet appears as if it is missing a crescent shaped slice (curved clip) there is also a straight clip error, Double Die $20-$150 when the die is worn or has a defect it creates a doubling effect, Wrong Planchet when a penny dime or nickel planchet is struck and not the intended 50c planchet this error occurs, Missing Clad Layer these may look copper in color or strangely toned, Off Center $40-$100 off center strikes occur when the die strikes the planchet off center these are usually expressed as a percentage

Last of Americas Silver Coinage

1969 was also the last year that the silver (40%) Kennedy Half Dollars were really mass produced with about 130 million made at the Denver mint. This was also the last silver coin to ever be created and released into general circulation.

Price Chart

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

The values below are broken down into the most common grades MS63 all the way to MS67. The MS-67 being incredibly rare, there are even a few known instances of MS-67+

• Grade MS62 = $8-$13
• Grade MS63 = $14-$23
• Grade MS64 = $19-$31
• Grade MS65 = $29-$48
• Grade MS66 = $135-$225
• Grade MS67 = $1,350-$2,250

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 1969 D Kennedy Half Dollar worth?

In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around $5.00, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $65 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 1969, 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.

Yes! Kennedy Half Dollar's produced in 1969 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?.