| Author |
 Replies: 43 / Views: 7,364 |
|
Pillar of the Community
708 Posts |
Poll Question
Okay, since there are two main reasons people say that the half was killed, was because they took Ben Franklin off the half after John F. Kennedy was assassinated and placing him on the half, and the other reason being that the half retained 40% silver after the quarter and dime went to copper clad coinage, which both problems resulted in the half's ultimate demise, do you think that clad Franklin halves should have been made as post-1964 halves? Now while I do not have a thing against Kennedy, and even though it was before my time, I know he was a great man, and I know his family has had a LOT of tragedy, I think that, if the government knew, or even had the slightest idea, that these two things mentioned above (40% silver and Kennedy) would have killed the half's circulation, I really don't think that they should have replaced Ben Franklin on the half, just because Kennedy was assassinated, but that's just me. I do feel bad for the Kennedy family though, don't get me wrong. So, what do you think? Did the government do the right thing be replacing Ben Franklin with John F. Kennedy on the half, even though it killed the circulation of the 50 cent denomination? (NOTE: For choice #13, I am assuming we go to a quarter, half, $1, $2, and $5 coin system, if you want to vote for that one. I just can not fit all of those words in there)
|
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4867 Posts |
I am not sure how long the Franklin half would have been around if Kennedy had not been assassinated. I think it would have been interesting to see clad Franklin halves. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1275 Posts |
I don't think you have enough options...
|
|
Valued Member
United States
75 Posts |
While the switch to the Kennedy half dollar in 1964 and the 40% silver Kennedys from 1965 to 1970 finished off half dollar circulation somewhat sooner than it would have happened with the continuation of the Franklin series, the half dollar as a widely used denomination was already in free-fall in the early 1960s. As a young man in the early 1960s (15 years old in 1963) I personally witnessed the ever decreasing use of half dollars simply because they were to big and most Americans did not want that size of a coin in their pocket. The US government would make this mistake again with the attempt to circulate the Ike dollar in the seventies, which turned into another failure. To sum it up, regular-sized clad Franklins certainly would have disappeared from circulation nearly as fast as the Kennedys did. I am very glad President Kennedy was honored with his visage on the half dollar which, btw, appeared in banks only 100 days after his assassination, an amazing feat I believe |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
For those who did not live through November of 1963 it is impossible to understand the public's sentiment. Demand for the Kennedy half was world-wide, especially in France. It was difficult to obtain them at first. Today they are just so much bullion. This demand trumped any consideration of the metal used. Four days of TV coverage non-stop. The radio transmitted sad music. I still remember a lot of details from that time. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4901 Posts |
Quote:
I don't think you have enough options...  |
|
Valued Member
United States
406 Posts |
I don't think your poll is very well positioned. In the first place, I don't think anyone outside of a few modern-day collectors were overly fond of the Franklin halves to begin with. The rising price of silver in the early 1960s -- when I began collecting -- made a debasement from 90% necessary for all silver coins, not just half dollars. But the introduction of the popular Kennedy half actually exacerbated the problem that the halves were traded, stashed, speculated, stored, exported, you could not get them in circulation. The Mint blamed collectors for the problem of too little circulating coinage, but other factors were certainly at play, including the rise of pay coin telephones and vending machines. Also, there certainly was speculation in BU rolls -- the 1960 and 60-D Small Date cents, and 1950-D Jefferson nickels were chief among them -- but the Kennedy half was merely the capstone of a complex problem. Best Regards,  George Edited by giorgio11
04/17/2014 07:38 am
|
|
Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
Quote:
So, what do you think? Did the government do the right thing be replacing Ben Franklin with John F. Kennedy on the half, even though it killed the circulation of the 50 cent denomination? Yes I think the gov did the right thing by replacing the BFH,and I do like the BFH.I don't think that had anything to do with killing the use of the half,i think it's because of the size of the coin.People just don't like the large sized coins. John1  Edited by John1
04/17/2014 07:49 am
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
I don't know why,
but the U.S. half dollar in it's current module size has simply lost favor with the U.S. public, and now there is little demand for them to be circulated.
I really do not think that the change in design has had anything to do with the demise of the Half Dollar in it's current form.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Australia
7096 Posts |
I agree that Kennedy was an amazing human being and after his demise most deservedly should be recognised on the US 50 cent coin. The 50 cent coin in Australia is way heavier than the Kennedy half and is used in everyday transactions and is also one of the popular collector coins . In Aus we have 5c 10c 20c 50c $1 $2 coins in circulation and I doubt that they will be found in change in pristine condition because they are ALL used frequently. Our lowest denomination note is $5. The same applies to Canada where the 50 cent coin is hardly ever used in commerce ? I personally think that the Kennedy half is a well designed piece and thanks to a good Mate in the States I now have the 2014 p, s, s proof coins to add to my set. Thanks Mate  |
|
Moderator
United States
187934 Posts |
Roosevelt being placed on the dime set a precedent. Kennedy's death assured he would be (almost immediately) placed on a coin. My opinion is that a clad Franklin half dollar would have seen (and still see) heavy circulation. Of the two referneced events causing the half dollar's demise by hoarding (Kennedy and the 40% clad), I think Kennedy had the bigger impact. However, we will never know if a 40% silver Franklin would have resisted circulation enough to give the Cu-Ni clad version the same fate as the Kennedy half dollar. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
624 Posts |
I hold the opinion that no politician should be on U.S. Currency. The decision to issue a Kennedy half was based on emotion and the need to 'do something.' The use of political figures, or politically motivated figures (Susan B. Anthony) has reduced coins to simple currency and has taken away the art and beauty of the coin design... again, this is my opinion. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1300 Posts |
I was born in 72, but all of the elders in my family whether they liked him or not were sad and still echo that sentiment..like I knew where I was when challenger exploded they all knew where they were whhen kennedy was assinated think history will show him as a good president. To me it would be like asking if a Lincoln Cent should have existed.... |
|
Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Quote:I don't think anyone outside of a few modern-day collectors were overly fond of the Franklin halves to begin with. Theres truth to that with how the past is always romanticized. When something exists its nothing special but as soon as its gone everyone goes on and on about how great it was even though some of those people complained about it when it was around. Quote:
The use of political figures, or politically motivated figures (Susan B. Anthony) has reduced coins to simple currency and has taken away the art and beauty of the coin design... again, this is my opinion. I agree with that. Once you select a figure you pigeon hole yourself into what you can do with the design. Things like the commemorative washington half still looked fantastic to me but theres nothing you can really do just putting a head on it. All of the reverses do have beauty to them but they got old, dimes are basically as stale as it gets right now even though I am scared of what would be done to it with what happened to the nickel. If they did more creative obverses like the washington half there wouldnt be as much of a loss on the artistic side imo Edited by basebal21
04/17/2014 6:39 pm
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
Canada
11922 Posts |
My opinion would be to change the design with the composition. Otherwise saying, Benjamin Half would go to 1970, once the half switches to clad, change to Kennedy (Again, just my opinion).
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
997 Posts |
If Kennedy hadn't been killed it is likely that the half dollar would have been made of the same clad composition as dimes and quarters from the get go. It is possible all three coins could have been silver clad or perhaps 50% silver like some of the Canadian coins of the era. Eventually they silver content would have been removed for all coins. It was a perfect storm of events that led to the removal of the half dollar from everyday use, combining the rising silver price, the removal from circulation of Kennedy halves as souvenirs of the martyred president and the changing preferences of the public towards quarters and away from halves. Take any of the three circumstances out of the equation and we may be using halves daily today. If the events of November 22, 1963 did not occur then perhaps the silver content would have stayed a little longer. It is possible that part of the continuing rise in sliver prices was driven by the removal of so many new Kennedy halves. Yes, I know the price of silver was already rising before he was shot, but perhaps it would have stayed low enough to continue with silver coinage a while longer and perhaps a reduction of silver content or avoidance of clad coins could have occurred instead (for all 3 silver coins). |
| |
Replies: 43 / Views: 7,364 |
Posted 04/16/2014 10:12 pm
