Who was on the 50 cent piece before Kennedy?
John Johnson
Updated on April 08, 2026
Benjamin Franklin
The Franklin half dollar is a coin that was struck by the United States Mint from 1948 to 1963. The fifty-cent piece pictures Founding Father Benjamin Franklin on the obverse and the Liberty Bell on the reverse.
Do they still Mint 50 cent pieces?
Yes, half dollars still are minted, but there are a couple of reasons why they are scarce. Later, Congress authorized reducing the silver content of the JFK 50 cent piece to 40 percent. And since 1970, the coins are a mix of copper and nickel.
Are 50-cent coins rare?
It is rare to see a half dollar in circulation today (not that the coins themselves are rare). It is worth mentioning that all circulation strike Kennedy half dollars from 1971 and later are just worth their face value of 50 cents.
How much is a 1926 half dollar worth?
The 1926 Sesquicentennial half dollar is worth around $75 in about uncirculated condition. In uncirculated condition this coin is worth around the following: $90 with an MS 60 grade, $130 with an MS 63 grade, $1,250 with an MS 65 grade, and $20,000 with an MS 66 grade.
Are 50 cent pieces valuable?
Value of Old Silver 50 Cent Coins. It is rare to see a half dollar in circulation today (not that the coins themselves are rare). It is worth mentioning that all circulation strike Kennedy half dollars from 1971 and later are just worth their face value of 50 cents.
Who is on the obverse of a half dollar?
The obverse of the half dollar features jugate busts of George Washington, first president of the United States, and Calvin Coolidge, the president in 1926.
Who was the first president on a half dollar?
The obverse of the half dollar features portraits of the first president, George Washington, and the president in 1926, Calvin Coolidge, making it the only American coin to depict a president in his lifetime.
Where was the first Sesquicentennial half dollar made?
The first Sesquicentennial half dollar was coined by Philadelphia Mayor W. Freeland Kendrick at a special ceremony at that city’s mint on May 19, 1926.
When did the half dollar go out of circulation?
In 1971, the half’s composition was changed to match that of the clad dimes and quarters, and with an increase in production, the coin saw a minor increase in usage; by this time however, many businesses and the public had begun to lose interest in the coin and it gradually became uncommon in circulation by the end of the 1970s.
