1971 Kennedy Half Dollar
Base
About This Coin
The 1971 Kennedy Half Dollar is a United States half dollar from the Kennedy Half Dollars Clad and Silver Proof 1971 to Date series — the first year of the series. In 1971, coins were struck at the San Francisco, Denver, and Philadelphia Mints with a combined mintage of 460.5 million. This represents the highest annual mintage in the entire series, above the series median of 32.8 million. The obverse features John F. Kennedy facing left, based on the presidential medal by Gilroy Roberts and the reverse displays the Presidential Seal — a heraldic eagle with shield, olive branch, and arrows. First year of the copper-nickel clad Kennedy Half Dollar, replacing the 40% silver composition. Struck in 75% copper, 25% nickel over a pure copper center, weighing 11.3 grams, 30.61 mm in diameter, with a 150 reeds edge. Collectors have cataloged 108 known die varieties for this date across 7 categories, including cud, doubled die obverse, doubled die reverse and 4 other types. Across its variants, estimated values range from $1 to $5 depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $13K in MS61 grade at eBay. Designed by Gilroy Roberts/Frank Gasparro.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
