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 Replies: 17 / Views: 8,940 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1501 Posts |
Some time ago, I was searching JFK rolls and found a Bicentennial half in 40% silver. The kicker is that there is no mint mark, and no sign of tampering to remove an "S". Besides, the coin has been around the block a time or two and is rather well worn. I'm new to this forum but will post a photo if I can figure out how to do it. I've not been able to find evidence that anyone else has ever found a 1776-1976 JFK half from Philadelphia minted in silver. Any of you experts out there have any recommendations on how to verify such a find? Seems like ANACS and other grading companies are less focused on errors and more on highly graded coins. Also, I don't have a scale sensitive enough to compare the weight of a Bicentennial copper-nickel clad half (11.34 g) to a 40% silver half (11.50 g). Thanks in advance for any advice.  *** Moved by Staff moved to a more appropriate forum. *** |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1559 Posts |
halfamind,  to the forum  Did you look at the edge of the coin? if you see a tannish or copper brown color on half of the edge, it is not silver. Some 1776-1976 Kennedy half dollars were made in a 40% silver composition for coin collectors - these are found in mint sets and proof sets. but not seeing a mint mark is interesting as if it is silver it would have the s mint mark. if you are unsure if it is silver you can take it to your local coin dealer and have them check it. Clearer pictures of both obverse and reverse and the edge of the coin would be needed for the experts here to give you a more definitive answer.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
A pawn shop or jewelry store may weight for you. With this one pic we can't see what you are seeing. It just looks like a P minted Bicentennial to me.... that has been around the block.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2843 Posts |
Seems to be pretty much impossible (of course, anything is possible) that a silver planchet ended up in the Philly mint in 1976. IIRC each mint creates their own planchets from scratch and 40% silver stock simply wouldn't be around in 1976 in Philadelphia.
Technically could be a San Fran with the mint mark missing (like the elusive proof no s dime) but being that is a die error, we would expect to see many more examples of such a coin. Obviously a simple test qill determine if it is or is not silver. But the logic remains the same.
IMO it is imperative that one determine what they are suggesting the error is when attempting to verify it.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
62064 Posts |
Weights: 1976-S Half dollars.
Silver clad 11.50 grams
Clad weight : 11.34 grams
1976-S clad Business strike pop 7,059,099
1976-S silver clad Business strike pop 11,000,000
1976-S silver clad proof strike pop 4,000,000
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Valued Member
United States
150 Posts |
Weight of "Nickle Clad" NOT SILVER - is 11.5 grams: Quote:
Weights: 1976-S Half dollars.
Silver clad 11.50 grams
Clad weight : 11.34 grams
1976-S clad Business strike pop 7,059,099
1976-S silver clad Business strike pop 11,000,000
1976-S silver clad proof strike pop 4,000,000 Philly does not have a Mint Mark -P- Metal Composition: 91.67% Copper - 8.33% Nickel Diameter: 30.6 mm Mass / Weight: 11.5 grams All Nickle Clad are Copper core. to CCF Edited by FrankenCoin
04/08/2018 11:03 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12477 Posts |
We really need better pics of both sides and the edge with adequate lighting and also a weight to 1/100th gram. In the pic you posted, the coin appears to be heavily tarnished, which would suggest silver. However, better pics are needed. All I can say at this point is...  In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4594 Posts |
Could also be plated as a science class experiment and then released into the wild.
Visit a jewelry store at a quiet time and ask them to weigh it for you.
-----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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New Member
United States
38 Posts |
They were also available in a 3 piece 40% silver set.
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Moderator
 United States
189603 Posts |
to the Community! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Weight is a good place to start, but it can't tell you for sure if it's copper nickel clad or silver clad. Due to the mint tolerances on these coins, the allowable weight range for the two different compositions overlap considerably. What needs to be done is either an XRF test, or specific gravity test. Specific gravity of a copper nickel clad is 8.92, specific gravity of the 40% silver is 9.53.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1501 Posts |
I appreciate all of the comments and advice. There is no copper visible on the edge, and indeed, the coin doesn't look plated but exhibits the tarnished look of other well-worn 40% silver halves. In the near future, I will try to post some better pix, including the reverse and an edge shot. Several websites, including... https://www.thespruce.com/kennedy-h...eties-768828...mention JFK halves erroneously struck in 1971 and 1977 at the Denver mint on 40% silver clad planchets: "1971-D and 1977-D Struck On 40% Silver Clad: A few of the 40% silver clad planchets used from 1965 to 1970 slipped into regular production lines at the Denver mint in 1971. Silver clad planchets were also used in 1976 to produce the circulating commemorative American Bicentennial half dollars. Once again, some of these silver clad planchets were used to make Kennedy half dollars dated 1977." |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1501 Posts |
Edge view of clad Bicentennial half (left) vs. 40% silver potential Bicentennial half error strike (right).  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1501 Posts |
Still not the best pix in the world, but here's the reverse (w/ comparison to clad).   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1501 Posts |
Still kinda lousy obverse shot... sorry.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Can't really tell anything from pictures, when you get the specific gravity or XRF test get back with us. Until then all it is a speculation.
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Replies: 17 / Views: 8,940 |
Posted 04/08/2018 9:38 pm
