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I was in NH a decade+ ago and got a Kennedy half-dollar in change. It was a pleasant surprise. I was somewhere else in northern New England and asked for and got a half-dollar in change. Asking never worked again.
Is the half-dollar actually in circulation in certain parts of New England?
Dunno about New England, but I have not seen a circulating half dollar for something like 20 years.
Which reminds me...2002 was the last year half dollars were produced for circulation. After 2002, the only way you could get current-year half dollars was to buy them in rolls (20) or bags (200) from the Mint at a premium. Because of the added premium, purchases have been pretty much limited to collectors. So any circulating half dollar you see today will probably be dated 2002 or earlier. Even so, coins not intended for general circulation occasionally do get into circulation.
Dunno about New England, but I have not seen a circulating half dollar for something like 20 years.
Which reminds me...2002 was the last year half dollars were produced for circulation. After 2002, the only way you could get current-year half dollars was to buy them in rolls (20) or bags (200) from the Mint at a premium. Because of the added premium, purchases have been pretty much limited to collectors. So any circulating half dollar you see today will probably be dated 2002 or earlier. Even so, coins not intended for general circulation occasionally do get into circulation.
Did not know this. Thanks.
Would rather have a half-dollar then a dollar coin. The Kennedy half-dollar looks solid, has a nice traditional design. The dollar coins look like currency from a post-Soviet Union republic.
Halves are produced every year in circulation grade. More than two million are minted annually at each of the Denver and Philadelphia mints. There is comparatively little commercial demand for them, but any bank can provide you with as many as you would like at par value. The actual collector's market is for proof coins in top condition. Those of course cannot be found in circulation.
Halves are produced every year in circulation grade. More than two million are minted annually at each of the Denver and Philadelphia mints. There is comparatively little commercial demand for them, but any bank can provide you with as many as you would like at par value. The actual collector's market is for proof coins in top condition. Those of course cannot be found in circulation.
Getting half dollars in volume used to be straightforward for banks, but it's no longer simple and easy, and some banks no longer provide this service to their customers, as there now is at least minor hassle and cost to banks in obtaining them. And if you were to buy from your bank half dollars in quantity, the bank DEFINITELY doesn't want you to return them to the bank for currency. There has been some discussion on coin collecting message boards.
Proof coins occasionally do enter circulation; it's not unusual for some kid to pilfer coins from daddy's coin collection - a kid might break up daddy's proof set for spending money. My two major circulation finds are a 1932-S quarter (lowest mintage Washington quarter - undoubtedly lifted from a collection by a kid; it didn't stay circulating for 30 years while migrating from the West Coast to the East Coast) and a 1916 Extremely Fine Matte Proof cent - also lifted from a collection.
I hate half dollars, we get them occasionally at my restaurant and there is no space in the cash register for them. You have to put them underneath with the larger bills. It makes no sense that they are still produced and circulated. Half dollar and the 2 dollar bill are absolutely pointless.
If I was president the first thing I'd do is modify our currency to remove pennies, nickels, dimes, half dollars, dollar bills, 2 dollar bills, and 5 dollar bills from circulation.
Our circulating coins and currency would be the following:
Quarters
Dollar coins
5 dollar coins
20 dollar bills
50 dollar bills
100 dollar bills
People don't like change because it's mostly worthless. If change had value, people would use it. Frankly I don't care if people didn't like it, I'd force it on them and make them accept it. I mostly use credit cards to avoid getting nickels and pennies in change, which I just throw on the ground.
...there now is at least minor hassle and cost to banks in obtaining them.
Minor cost and hassle to banks are involved in their turning on the lights each morning. Meanwhile, between four and five million half-dollars have been produced for circulation every year for a long time. Any bank that does not already have them on hand can obtain a supply of halves at par simply by requesting their delivery. It's how they get all their supplies of coins and notes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by freemkt
Proof coins occasionally do enter circulation...
Another pointless argument from the outliers. And as an fyi, 1916 matte proof cents were not popular at the time with collectors who as a group had keener eyes for brilliant proofs.
Minor cost and hassle to banks are involved in their turning on the lights each morning. Meanwhile, between four and five million half-dollars have been produced for circulation every year for a long time. Any bank that does not already have them on hand can obtain a supply of halves at par simply by requesting their delivery. It's how they get all their supplies of coins and notes.
Another pointless argument from the outliers. And as an fyi, 1916 matte proof cents were not popular at the time with collectors who as a group had keener eyes for brilliant proofs.
Yes, it has not escaped me that proof mintages were in decline at that time, that the 1916 cent had the lowest proof cent mintage of its era, and that 1916 was the last year matte proofs were produced. it was not until 1950 that production resumed, with the launch of the 'modern' era of 'brilliant' proof coins.
Yes, it has not escaped me that proof mintages were in decline at that time, that the 1916 cent had the lowest proof cent mintage of its era, and that 1916 was the last year matte proofs were produced. it was not until 1950 that production resumed, with the launch of the 'modern' era of 'brilliant' proof coins.
So, you agree that along with this one, your earlier posts on this general topic were without merit? Halves are indeed struck each year in the millions and anyone wanting some could easily obtain them through a local bank?
FYI, matte proof Lincolns are famously difficult for even experts to identify. This was one reason for their unpopularity.
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