Owner Comments:

MS66 STAR CAMEO.
POPULATION: 33. ( AS OF JANUARY 2019.)

**** POPULATION RARITY. ****
**** CONDITION RARITY ****

ONE OF MY FAVORITE KENNEDY HALF DOLLARS. A STUNNING ULTRA CAMEO OBVERSE WITH DEEP, WATERY MIRRORS. MOST 1965 SMS HALF DOLLARS HAVE SHALLOW MIRRORS, REMINISCENT OF A COMMON BUSINESS STRIKE COIN. STAR CAMEO IS A DESIGNATION UNIQUE TO NGC & I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE FAN OF ANY COIN WITH THIS DESIGNATION.
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THE YEAR 1965 BEGAN THE 3 YEAR RUN OF THE HYBRID SPECIMEN SMS COINS THAT REPLACED PROOF SETS FOR THE YEARS 1965, 1966 & 1967. MANY COLLECTORS MUST HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED TO RECEIVE A 1965 SMS SET, ONLY TO FIND OUT THE HALF DOLLAR OFTEN DID NOT LOOK ANY BETTER THAN A BUSINESS STRIKE COIN. THE QUALITY DID IMPROVE OVERALL IN THE YEARS 1966 & 1967.
SMS COINS DIFFERED FROM PROOF COINS AND REGULAR BUSINESS STRIKE COINS IN MANY WAYS. SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES WERE :
A) SMS DIES RECEIVED MORE PREPARATION THAN BUSINESS STRIKE COINS.
B) SMS DIES RECEIVED LESS PREPARATION THAN PROOF COINS.
C) SMS DIES RECEIVED LONGER USE AND LESS MAINTENANCE THAN A PROOF DIE WOULD HAVE.
D) SMS PLANCHETS WERE NOT BURNISHED AS A PROOF PLANCHET WOULD HAVE BEEN.
E) SMS PLANCHETS WERE NOT DOUBLE STRUCK, AS A PROOF PLANCHET WOULD HAVE BEEN.
F) SMS COINS WERE STRUCK UNDER HIGHER PRESSURE THAN A COMMON BUSINESS STRIKE WOULD HAVE BEEN.
G) SMS COINS WERE NOT INDIVIDUALLY HANDLED, AS A PROOF WOULD HAVE BEEN. INSTEAD, THEY WERE DUMPED INTO BINS WITH OTHER COINS.
Source : The Guidebook of Franklin & Kennedy Half Dollars, by R. Tomaska