By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The Kennedy Half Dollar saw intermittent production for circulation in the 2020s, which is somewhat surprising considering the clunky clad denomination had all but disappeared from commerce by the mid-1980s. Despite this fact, the production of the half dollar continued. Through 2001, the United States Mint commonly produced around 20 million business-strike half dollars annually at both the Philadelphia and Denver facilities. In the years after, the half dollar’s mintage was determined by numismatic demand.
But this changed in 2021, when the Federal Reserve began to quietly order circulation-strike Kennedy Half Dollars. Production slowed in 2022, but in 2023, the Mint reported mintages that were the highest for the denomination since 1983.
The 2023-D Kennedy Half Dollar as a Collectible Coin
Even though it was (and likely still is) possible to acquire the 2023-D Kennedy Half Dollar at face value from your local bank, the United States Mint offered collectors the opportunity to purchase uncirculated examples in quantity through its numismatic store with steep surcharges applied. Two-roll sets, which contained $20 in halves, were sold for $34.50, while 200-coin bags were offered for $147. These prices are more or less in line with what one will pay on the secondary market.
The second way that collectors could acquire the 2023-D Kennedy Half Dollar directly from the Mint was by purchasing the 2023 United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set.
The Uncirculated Coin Set consisted of 20 coins, 10 from the Philadelphia Mint and 10 from Denver, and included one of each circulated coin struck that year. The 2023 sets were offered for sale starting on December 5 at an issue price of $29, a hefty premium over the set’s $5.82 face value. Today, these sets sell for $40 or more.
How Much Are 2023-D Kennedy Half Dollars Worth?
When discussing the value of a 2023-D Kennedy Half Dollar, we must first establish that the majority of coins from this date have a notional value to collectors that exceeds the coin’s 50-cent face value. Circulated coins have no “extra” value and can be spent freely. Raw coins in uncirculated condition sell for about $1.50 each. Certified coins can carry a significant premium, but one must also consider that the cost of certification exceeds the value of the coin when it grades lower than MS67.
Recent sales of MS67 coins range from $60 to $80, while MS66 coins sell for under $25. The top population grade for the 2023-D Kennedy Half is currently MS68 for PCGS and MS69 for NGC.
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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens
Recent sales of the 2023-D Kennedy Half Dollar indicate that there is significant upside to submitting Superb Gem examples for grading; however, these values are likely to fall if too many coins are submitted at once. PCGS MS68 coins have sold for two to three times the amount that NGC MS69 coins have brought during the same period. Why? One may reach their own conclusions based on the grade distribution between the two firms for this date.
Top Population: PCGS MS68 (10, 4/2025), NGC MS69 (45, 4/2025), and CAC N/A (0, 4/2025).
- NGC MS69 #8141107-041: eBay, April 10, 2025 – $399.95.
- PCGS MS68 #51310409: eBay, February 20, 2025 – $1,095.
- PCGS MS68 #51310407: eBay, February 13, 2025 – $995.
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2023-D Kennedy Half Dollar Specifications
| Country: | United States of America |
| Year of Issue: | 2023 |
| Denomination: | Half Dollar (50 Cents USD) |
| Mintmark: | D (Denver) |
| Mintage: | 27,800,000 |
| Alloy: | .750 copper, .250 nickel bonded to inner core of pure copper |
| Weight: | 11.34 g |
| Diameter: | 30.60 mm |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| OBV Designer: | Gilroy Roberts |
| REV Designer: | Frank Gasparro |
| Quality: | Business Strike |
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Although clunky, I like collecting the half dollars and using them as currency. I cannot understand or appreciate the need to have these modern coins (even in the high mint states) graded. I find that it takes the fun away. I would rather preserve the coin in an air-tite and be able to spend the money saved from grading to find another modern raw coin of interest. That is what makes it fun. If I find a modern coin that I need slabbed at a great price,then I break it out of the slab. I was glad to hear the Federal Reserve order these coins; these should be available to the public without the hefty premium.