Owner Comments:
Continuing the situation established in the previous year, the 2003 Kennedy Half Dollar was not produced for circulation. Rather the coins were produced in limited quantities at the Philadelphia and Denver Mint for direct sales to collectors. The San Francisco Mint also produced two different proof version of the coins for inclusion within annual coin sets.
Starting on January 29, 2003, the US Mint began to accept orders for collectors for circulation strike versions of the coin. The half dollars could be ordered in two roll sets, containing one roll from each mint facility, or in $100 face value bags, containing an even mix of coins from each facility. These were packaged in distinctive wrappers or canvas bags with an indication of the year, face value, and mint mark. Circulation strike coins were also available in the annual uncirculated coin set.
The proof versions of the coin were offered later in the year, as included within the 2003 Proof Set and 2003 Silver Proof Set. The first set containing the coin struck in the standard composition of copper-nickel clad, while the second set contained the coin struck in a special composition of 90% silver and 10% copper. The silver proof version saw a jump in mintage to 1,125,755 compared to 892,229 in the prior year.