How to Collect Set of Kennedy Half Dollars from Coins Found in Circulation

Mary Bickerson has admired President Kennedy for as long as she can remember. Like millions of other people, not just in the United States but throughout the world, she became caught up in the Camelot atmosphere of the young President, his attractive wife and their young children. During the spate of television documentaries last November marking the 40th anniversary of his assassination in Dallas, Texas, a mention was made that the Kennedy Half Dollar coin series was rushed through Congress and the first such coins bearing a likeness of the late President went into circulation in 1964. She remembered that the announcer said the Kennedy half dollar series has lasted longer than any other half dollar series in U.S. history.

She was surprised to hear this: "I had no idea they were still making Kennedy half dollars," she told this writer. "I haven't gotten any in change, or seen anybody spend one in heaven knows how many years. In fact, I don't ever really recall seeing them being used as change at stores."

If the TV show was correct, the Monmouth County, New Jersey woman decided, she would like to get some "representing the various year dates. I'm not a coin collector so I did what came naturally; I visited my bank the next day and asked if they had any Kennedy half dollars.

"Lo and behold, the teller promptly handed me a half dozen or so from her coin tray! I was so surprised, and told her I hadn't seen any in years. The teller told me that wasn't unusual since nobody really used them or the small 'golden' dollar coins (Sacagawea dollars) either. But every so often somebody would bring a few into the bank an exchange them for paper money."

Mary says she doesn't recall exactly which dates she got at that first visit or in various trips which followed. "I kept them all. I sorted one of each date and slipped them into a clear plastic 35mm slide page and put the duplicates in a zip lock bag." She says that somewhere along the way she found out about "the difference between those little P and D (mint) marks. From late November thru early February she visited the same bank and others in her area to gather as many Kennedy halves as she could.