1968 D Kennedy Half Looks Like Proof - Help Needed

@PineCreek (I like the name). If you want to collect the early die strike coins, I congrat you. This it is one of the most sensitive side of collecting. It is possible I know but very hard to identified and collect. I hope you can brink together as much is possible. For me will be a pleasure to see a such collection. All my best.

While the 40% silver sets look like silver ones, the edges have a hint of something going on with them:

SMS were only 1965-1967. 40% were from 1965-1970-D. (1970-D was only available in mint sets)
The one I view as plated was the one on the left on the edge view. There were proof half dollars that year, but they were San Francisco mints. Yours are both Denver mints.
1968-S DDO's


Try taking another image of the second coin without so much glare? That may be making us suspicious of plating. Also allow the light to flow across the motto devices. Variety Vista lists three DDO's. Wexler lists none for that year? (Seems strange to me)
http://www.varietyvista.com/12%20Ke...201968-S.htm

You might need diffuse you light. Things that can cut glare is paper or even plastic grocery bags. Make a way to make the light pass through these materials with out touching the bulb. Then take a look to see it that removes the glare issue?

Good idea as well.

Coop, thank you so much for the advise on the lighting. I have the Celestron USB microscope 5MP and the light source is tiny little bulbs that make a circle outside of the lens. I covered the little bulbs with paper, but there is still glare I think (please see picture below). Have not had much time to play around with it enough to get it right, but will keep trying.

Thank you Parnelli917, also. It may be. But in person, the coin that is shiny, is not just shiny, but mirror like. The reflection on it is similar to that of a proof coin.

I found that weird because it had a D mint mark.

When I think I got better shots, less glare, I will post them in this thread.

Thank you all again for your input. I truly appreciate it.

Images from PCGS "Coinfacts"
1968-D
https://images.PCGS.com/CoinFacts/4...498_2200.jpg

1968-S Proof:
https://images.PCGS.com/CoinFacts/4...049_2200.jpg
When you click on the images, not the fields of the coins. The proof one has a lot more shine on the fields.

On you two images, the use of the light is the same on both images. Using the pen color would be more convincing if the pen was used on the same side of the images. Placing the coin vertically rather than horizontally. Then the pen differences could be seen better. This could be taken in two shots. On the second shot you could place the second coin on the top of the other coin, thus the locations would be the same? The more you start illustrating coins, the quicker ideas will come to you. Look at how others place them, then see if you could think if a better solution to a problem. Then use what pluses work for the better. I'm still coming up with new solutions for old problems. I find my self looking at the setups on the shows and see what they are doing and how I could think up a different way to create illustrations. My mind is always working. (sometimes hard to shut it down)

Hi again,

I do not know if this is better? My lighting is always left wanting, my apologies.

However, I took a pic of the rims again. If they are both 40% silver, why does the "shiny" one's edge look like it may be fully clad?

Thank you very much Coop. Please find pictures below: