1976 Proof Kennedy from my first half box

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I got my first boxes of halves to see if they are worth it.

I am about halfway through the first of my 3 boxes and found a proof 1976 Kennedy half. It has a copper core as I can see it so I assume it is clad not 40% silver. Still it is a nice find. It was cloudy so I dipped it and it came out pretty nice.

 

[Rick624]

Nice start, knock em out !

 

[usandthem]

Wiegh the coin. I found a 1976 proof that looked like cupro-nickel but was 40% silver.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

How much should it weigh?

 

[ArkieBassMan]

There isn't enough weight difference to definitively state whether it is silver or not. 40% is supposed to weigh 11.5g while the copper/nickel clad weighs 11.36g.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

If it doesn't look like silver, nor sound like silver, it is not silver...I don't care what it weighs.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

The cameo head looks like silver but I will ask at my local coin shop.

Anyhow, one thing I noticed is I haven't found any halves after 2003 in the boxes, I would have thought I would get some more recent ones.

Also one of the boxes looks like it came from a casino, it was a double stack box, 7x8 2 levels deep and they many rolls were lousy wrap jobs and virtually every coin had no reeding on the edges.
Do casinos still use halves?

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

according to Wikipedia they had business strikes and proofs. The proofs were in 40% and 90%. This is definitely a proof, and since I can see clad it has to be a 40%, probably worth $2.50 to $3.50

 

[ArkieBassMan]

There are copper/nickel proofs with no silver as well.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

And no 90%ers

 

[ArkieBassMan]

There are both business strike and proof 40% and copper/nickel clad business strike and proof.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I will get it check out.

Anyhow according again to wiki, there were no production strikes since 2002, I just came up with a 2005D probably out of a mint set.

 

[enamel7]

First thing to remember is that Wikipedia is a source that can have it's facts adjusted and changed by any and everybody. I a lot of cases that info can be wrong.

 

[enamel7]

I will get it check out.

Anyhow according again to wiki, there were no production strikes since 2002, I just came up with a 2005D probably out of a mint set.

And that again is wrong. They weren't produced for circulation, but were as you said in mint sets plus I believe could be ordered in rolls. For example, in 2007 there were 649,076 mint set and a total of 2,400,000 halves minted at each mint. I think some were put in circulation by dealers but I also think the mint may tire of storing them and just release them over time.

 

[boristhespider88]

For 1976-S coins there are actually 3 different variations:

Clad Proof '76-S
40% Silver Business Strike '76-S
40% Silver Proof '76-S

(In that order, left to right)

View attachment 1132825

 

[boristhespider88]

Half dollars that are dated 2002 to present day (2015) are NIFC (Not Intended For Circulation). The mint sells them in bags, rolls, and mint sets to collectors through their store.

 

[mAGma]

Yikes

 

[enamel7]

Yikes

Yikes what?

 

[Spartcom5]

What'd you dip it in to make it look better? Also here's a 40% 76 business strike I found

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Thanks for all the information on the halves!

on dipping it, the fields of the coin had a milky coating covering about half the coin. Dipping it for 6 seconds in eZest coin cleaner removed that milky coating. Granted under a microscope at about 200 power you might be able to tell it is dipped.
Talking to several coin dealers most bright white silver coins on the market today have been dipped, they estimate about 90% because people, at least here in the East, prefer white coins rather than naturally toned. For my collection I prefer toned coins, of course there are people that artificially tone their coins (that is a yikes).

eZest (or Ezest) coin cleaner is used by most dealers I know. You have to be very careful however since if you dip it too long it will change the surface of the coin and then it will become permanently milky. It is also dangerous due to fumes and you shouldn't get it on you skin, I use plastic coated tweezers that you can buy at Amos Advantage website to hold the coins being dipped.

Spartcom5, this coin looked almost like your business strike, sort of between that and the 1971 proof you had in the picture and I gave it two 6 second dips and rinsed under running water real good between them. It is good to practice on regular coins or proofs that are not worth that much.