• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

1977-D Kennedy half dollar

16 posts in this topic

Would it be worth it to grade 1977-D Kennedy half dollars. I inherited a coin collection and trying to get educated on coins that are mint errors. According to 2016 The official Red book. 1977-D was minted in clad by error. I have 7. 

These 1977-D look like they had been in circulation, but have also been bagged and put away for 30-40 years. What should I do? Attached photo. 

P7090001 (1).JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few were minted in 40% SILVER clad in error.  31.4 MILLION of them were made in coppernickel clad.  If you really think yu might have 40% silver ones  first do a tissue test on them, and if they pass that do a specific gravity test on them. (SG of 40% silver is 9.53, SG of coppernickel clad is 8.92)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Conder101 said:

A few were minted in 40% SILVER clad in error.  31.4 MILLION of them were made in coppernickel clad.  If you really think yu might have 40% silver ones  first do a tissue test on them, and if they pass that do a specific gravity test on them. (SG of 40% silver is 9.53, SG of coppernickel clad is 8.92)

orrrrrr,  just look at the edge: if you see Copper: spend 'em

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, allmine said:

orrrrrr,  just look at the edge: if you see Copper: spend 'em

The planchets were more than likely left over from the Bicentennial 1976-S 50C Silver (Regular Strike) where the composition was, outer layers - 80% Silver, 20% Copper; Center - 79% Copper, 21% Silver so in reality you sill have a copper core that maybe exposed.

I read somewhere awhile back that 77 examples have been graded. You just never know what you have until it's defined. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, WoodenJefferson said:

The planchets were more than likely left over from the Bicentennial 1976-S 50C Silver (Regular Strike) where the composition was, outer layers - 80% Silver, 20% Copper; Center - 79% Copper, 21% Silver so in reality you sill have a copper core that maybe exposed.

I read somewhere awhile back that 77 examples have been graded. You just never know what you have until it's defined. 

simply, take a clad Quarter and match: if the color looks the same, they are the same. 40% Silver-Clad Halves look to be Silver

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, allmine said:

simply, take a clad Quarter and match: if the color looks the same, they are the same. 40% Silver-Clad Halves look to be Silver

Not so fast there...in 1965-1970 the Kenndy half dollars were composed of 40% silver outer layer and 60% copper inner layer which made them very distiguishable from other clad coinage (dime, quarter)of the day. In 1971, all silver was removed from the Half Dollar, in favor of the same copper-nickel clad alloy that had been in use on dimes and quarters since 1965.

The 1977-D error coins (struck on silver planchet) the outer layer was not pure silver but had  an alloy of 20% Copper mixed in with 80% silver and a circulated error coin was not that distinguishable from the rest of the clad coinage, especially to a lay person who might not even know they even exsist.
An expert who has handled a few of these rare errors might be able to immediatly destinguish one from the other but for the novice, the tissue test is a good start.
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/10/2017 at 8:16 AM, allmine said:

orrrrrr,  just look at the edge: if you see Copper: spend 'em

A circulated or well handled coin will allow the center layer to darken around the edge and the edge can look very similar to that of a copper nickel clad.  (Everyone always seem to think that the edge of these coins always show as silver.  They is only true when they are new.)  A worn edge may be  a little difference in color, but I never trust identification to just a slight color difference.

And weight is NOT sufficient to tell them apart either.  Too much overlap in the allowed tolerance.  Anything from 11.1 to 11.79 grams could be either one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, WoodenJefferson said:

Not so fast there...in 1965-1970 the Kenndy half dollars were composed of 40% silver outer layer and 60% copper inner layer which made them very distiguishable from other clad coinage (dime, quarter)of the day. In 1971, all silver was removed from the Half Dollar, in favor of the same copper-nickel clad alloy that had been in use on dimes and quarters since 1965.

The 1977-D error coins (struck on silver planchet) the outer layer was not pure silver but had  an alloy of 20% Copper mixed in with 80% silver and a circulated error coin was not that distinguishable from the rest of the clad coinage, especially to a lay person who might not even know they even exsist.
An expert who has handled a few of these rare errors might be able to immediatly destinguish one from the other but for the novice, the tissue test is a good start.
 

80% Silver outer layer

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Composition
  • 1964, silver proofs 1992–present: 90% silver, 10% copper.
  • 1965–1970, some 1776–1976 San Francisco-minted coins: outer layer of 80% silver, 20% copper surrounding core of 79% copper, 21% silver, totaling 60% copper, 40% silver.
  • Circulation strikes, 1971 to present: outer layer of 75% copper, 25% nickel surrounding core of 100% copper.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, allmine said:

80% Silver outer layer

What happened to the 20% copper that was alloyed into that outer layer of silver that changed the characteristics once it entered circulation?

Last entry. cya

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, WoodenJefferson said:

What happened to the 20% copper that was alloyed into that outer layer of silver that changed the characteristics once it entered circulation?

Last entry. cya

 

? lost me, dude
Silver is a Noble Metal, Copper isn't

Link to comment
Share on other sites