50th Anniversary Kennedy Half

I'd like there to be something for the 50th, but you'll find people in both camps here. I'd think we'd have already heard something by now if there was going to be a special release for the 50th, but who knows. One can hope.

I like the idea of the perpetual flame reverse, Elmo.

And Doug, the flame has indeed gone out a few times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F...ternal_Flame

Some previous threads for your reading pleasure...

https://goccf.com/t/150342
https://goccf.com/t/147873
https://goccf.com/t/112580
https://goccf.com/t/69863

I say Congress should authorize a fiyr design series for 2014, then a new permanent design for 2015 and beyond, and get MOST if not ALL vending and self checkout stands to accept and dispense the new halves as needed, as well as, get "human" cashiers using them as well. After all, the half, the dime and the $1 bill should all be redesigned, since it has not been done in such a long time. AT LEAST the "$2" bill is getting a redesign with the next currency redesign, but, regardless of what it does to gollar bill readers, unless the $1 bill is getting scrapped for the dollar coin, redesign the bill to look like the $2-$100 are going to look like in the future.

So yes, the dollar coin, quarter, penny, nickel, and $5-$100 bills have gotten multiple major designs in the past decade or so.

Its time to redesign the half, the dime and the $1 and $2 bills.

I don't see this happening and here's why.

In the past, "anniversary" coins have been issued referencing a birth year.....Lincoln cent in 1909, with a redesign in 1959 and special issues in 2009. The Washington quarter in 1932, and a commemorative half in 1982.

I can see the rationale for issuing a new half to remember an anniversary of Kennedy's birth, but one for his death?

There really isn't time for a redesign, especially since the Sec of the Treasury won't use his authority to order it. That would mean having to work its way through Congress, typically a long drawn out process. And even if you could do it it would mean a real rush job and typically rush jobs are usually either pretty shoddy, or are just cobbled up pieces of existing designs. (Case in point the Kennedy half dollar itself which was a cobbled job.) On the other hand special sets, different finishes, striking coins at different mints, or any combination of these, can all be done internally at the Mint without having to get permission as long as they don't change the design or composition. So those decisions can be delayed much longer. heck they could hold off an announcement until halfway through next year. Heck they could make the regular halves and mint sets early in the year and get everyone to buy all their rolls, bags, and mint sets, then in the last half or the year sandblast all the dies for a special finish and get everyone to buy all the rolls, bags and mint sets all over again with the nre special "commemorative finish".

I'm not sure that Congress has the Constitutional authority to make people use half dollars or to mandate to businesses what types of coins to hand out in change.

That said, I spend half dollars almost every day.

To commemorate 50 years of the series they should take a look at how many are actually used in circulation and put the series to an end.