The Kennedy Half Dollar for 2025 was the last year of its current design
HalfDime
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The current Kennedy Half Dollar for 2025 was the last year it will have the design that has lasted for nearly 60 years. For 2026 it appears it will be a new design, and then in 2027 it will change again to a new Kennedy obverse, with changing reverses for four years.
The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act (Act) (Public Law 116–330) directs the Secretary of the Treasury to redesign and issue half dollar coins each year from 2027 to 2030. The reverse of each half dollar must be “emblematic of one Paralympic sport.”
The Act requires, “the obverse of the half dollars shall maintain a likeness of John Kennedy, and be designed in a manner so as to distinguish it from the obverse design used on the current half dollar.” The Kennedy half dollar is the current U.S. 50-cent coin.
At one time it was assumed that changing reverses would alter the interest in coins, such as what happened with the state quarter program. But since then the interest has died off as the changing reverse concept has been taken to new themes that few people are interested in.
Will the same happen with the Kennedy half dollars starting in 2027?
Comments
Just one of the reasons why the 2025-S Proof Kennedy Half Dollar was/is popular with collectors of the series.
1) The last issue of the classic design.
2) Lower than usual mintages and quality issues have allowed for Silver 70's to be somewhat of a condition rarity.
The '25 Silver Half Dollar by itself in a 70 is worth more than the entire raw Silver Proof Set(taking away the Penny).
The '25 Limited Edition Silver Proof sets that contain the Kennedy Half are going for around $400 for the raw set.
Anyway, I'm not really in favor of the changing reverses starting in '27, but who am I?
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=2025+s+silver+kennedy+half+dollar+proof+70&_sacat=0&_from=R40&rt=nc&LH_Complete=1
This was done with Jefferson's image on the nickel in 2006. I'm not in favor of a change to the Kennedy.
Jackie Kennedy, if I remember correctly, had reviewed a draft design of the coin honoring her slain husband and made comments that were incorporated into the final minted half dollar design. Accordingly, I don’t like changing the original Kennedy obverse—I would prefer a new obverse subject if a change is needed.
Full face portraits are horrible. It was horrible for Henry VIIII and it looks horrible for Kennedy.
Especially in low resolution.