Material: Copper-Nickel Clad (Outer layers: 75% copper, 25% nickel; Core: pure copper)
Diameter: 30.6 mm
Weight: 11.34 g
Edge: Reeded
Mint: Denver (D mintmark below Kennedy’s neck)
Obverse: This piece is a standard-issue United States Kennedy Half Dollar struck at the Denver Mint. The obverse features a crisp, left-facing portrait of President John F. Kennedy designed by Chief Engraver Gilroy Roberts shortly after the leader's assassination. Arching around the top perimeter is the bold word "LIBERTY," while the traditional national motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" is split across the lower fields flanking the neck truncation. The production date of 1971 is centered along the bottom rim, accompanied by a small "D" mintmark stamped directly above the third digit. Composed of a copper-nickel clad over a pure copper core, this specific issue marked a massive transition away from the silver-alloy blanks used in previous production runs.
Reverse: This image presents the reverse side of the United States Kennedy Half Dollar, showcasing the modified Presidential Seal designed by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Frank Gasparro. The central design features a heraldic eagle with wings outstretched, bearing a striped shield on its chest and holding a symbolic olive branch in its right talon alongside a bundle of thirteen arrows in its left talon. A sweeping ribbon clutched in the eagle's beak displays the traditional Latin motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM." Surrounding the central motif is an intricate ring of fifty small stars representing all fifty states, overlaid by an outer ring of stylized sun rays. The entire composition is encircled by the bold statutory lettering "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" across the top rim and "HALF DOLLAR" along the bottom edge.
Circa: 1971
Condition: Very Fine – minimal wear, bold strike with full eagle details
Notes:
The 1971-D half dollar is a highly significant transitional milestone because it represents the very first year the United States Mint removed all precious silver content from circulating fifty-cent pieces. While earlier iterations from 1965 to 1970 contained forty percent silver, skyrocketing metal costs forced a permanent pivot to the less expensive copper-nickel clad composition seen here. Despite a very high original circulation mintage of over forty-five million coins from the Denver facility, clean examples with minimal contact marks on Kennedy's cheek remain popular targets for type-set collectors. Numismatists look closely at the reverse side of 1971 issues for a rare "No FG" variety caused by over-polished dies that accidentally erased the initials of reverse designer Frank Gasparro near the eagle's tail feathers.