Bill Jones' Type Set
50C KENNEDY, SILVER-CLAD (1965-1970)

Owner Comments:

The 40% silver clad half dollars of 1965 to 1970 were the result of a political compromise. At the end of 1964 it had become obvious that that the price silver was going to exceed the “magic number” of $1.29 per ounce. At that level the melt value of all of the 90% silver dimes, quarters and half dollars would exceed their face value. Clearly Congress had to reduce or eliminate the amount of silver that was in U.S. coinage. The debate in Congress was divided along regional lines. Representatives and senators from the western silver mining states wanted to keep as much silver as possible in the nation’s coinage. They supported a proposal for 40% silver clad dimes, quarters and half dollars. Congressmen from the eastern and mid western industrial states wanted to keep the price of silver down for industrial usage. They advocated the issuance of copper-nickel coinage that contained no silver. In the end a compromise was reached where the silver content was retained only for the half dollar. The new coin had an obverse and a reverse of 80% silver and 20% copper that was bonded to a core of 20% silver and 80% copper. The mint system would issue the 40% silver clad half dollar until 1970 when further increases in the price of silver requite it’s elimination from the coin entirely. The coin in my set is a very attractive ultra cameo Proof coin. It is an outstanding example in the PR-67 grade with no spots and only a couple of very minor hairlines