Are the Roosevelt Dime and Kennedy Half Dollar the only remaining unaltered coinage?
llafoe
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No, this isn't another DCarr thread! 
Are the Roosevelt Dime (1946-date) and the Kennedy Half Dollar (1964-date) the only remaining coinage that has the original design since it began mintage? The Lincoln Cent changed in 1959, 2009, 2010, etc.; the Jefferson Nickel changed in 2004, 2005, 2006, etc.; the Washington Quarter changed in 1999, 2009, 2010, etc.; and the SAC changed in 2009, etc.
Some interesting facts juxtaposing the Roosevelt and Kennedy... they were both minted the year after their deaths and those years could appear the same to a dyslexic person!
Are the Roosevelt Dime (1946-date) and the Kennedy Half Dollar (1964-date) the only remaining coinage that has the original design since it began mintage? The Lincoln Cent changed in 1959, 2009, 2010, etc.; the Jefferson Nickel changed in 2004, 2005, 2006, etc.; the Washington Quarter changed in 1999, 2009, 2010, etc.; and the SAC changed in 2009, etc.
Some interesting facts juxtaposing the Roosevelt and Kennedy... they were both minted the year after their deaths and those years could appear the same to a dyslexic person!
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Comments
<< <i>The Kennedy sported a change for the Bi-centennial. >>
Good catch... that leaves the Roosevelt as the lone survivor.
It's a shame that they clearly *want* to change coin designs (as seen by reverse changes, state quarters and so on) but can't for political reasons once they backed themselves into the "dead presidents" corner.
From 1968 onward, mint marks appear above the date. Those struck in Philadelphia carried no mint mark until a letter P was introduced beginning in 1980. Roosevelt dimes coined at the mints in Denver and San Francisco have always been identified by letters D and S, respectively, except during the years 1965-67 when these mint marks were omitted.
The mint mark was on the back or reverse of the coin, one the left side of the torch, until 1968, when it was moved to the front or obverse, just under the date.
The 1996 -W
In 2000, the obverse of the Roosevelt dime was revised to minimize deterioration of design details near the rims. The size of Roosevelt's head was reduced, allowing LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date to move away from the rim. The changes are subtle but obvious when compared with coins from previous years.
Other than these no changes since 1946
<< <i>There was the bicentennial Kennedy. And even not accounting for the change in composition (that isn't a design change), one could be overly pedantic and say that the mintmark locations have changed.
It's a shame that they clearly *want* to change coin designs (as seen by reverse changes, state quarters and so on) but can't for political reasons once they backed themselves into the "dead presidents" corner. >>
Indeed. I hadn't thought of it this way before but you are right. Once a particular personage (or even building) is on a circulating coin, it becomes tricky to change the design. Just think about the stink Virginia raised when there was talk of removing Monticello!
I do grow weary of all of our coins being circulating commemoratives. I much prefer that our coin design represent ideals rather than individual people and/or objects.
They detract from mint sets and stand out as an opportunity to renew interest in our coinage.
The Kennedy half design was suspended for 1975 and 1976 while the Bicentennial half was struck. You could argue that the Bicentennial half is a different coin than the regular Kennedy half, and that the original coin design was not "changed."
TD