Community Voice Responses (07/28/13)

From the June 28 Numismatic News e-newsletter:

Should a special Kennedy half dollar set be issued in 2014 for the 50th anniversary?

Here are some answers sent from our e-newsletter readers to Editor Dave Harper.

I vote yes. They should make a 50th anniversary special edition, and then change to something/someone else for the half dollar.
Charles Landess
Evensville, Tenn.

Yes, I think it would be a great idea to have a special 50th anniversary edition for the Kennedy half dollar, and I feel it would be time to end the series. I love collecting half dollars but feel it is time to put an end to the series of a coin that is not used for circulation. I would be all for a new series. Something with some history. Not a state or parks type coin, but real history.
Dave Pierce
Yorba Linda, Calif.

Yes, definitely, a special collector Kennedy half set should be offered for 2014. I have heard the Mint is considering special finishes, like a reverse proof. I support that and I would buy it at a reasonable price.
But I also want to see more. Why not a special commemorative issue with a different reverse? The bicentennial celebration had a one year special reverse type. I think the Mint should consider a one year reverse type for 2014. Possible designs could honor the civil rights movement, the Peace Corps, or the Moon landing.
Steven Haynes
Sacramento, Calif.

A JFK commemorative coin/medal is something I’d love to see to honor one of greatest president’s of our time.
If you look at his record on crime, civil rights, space exploration and not backing down to the Russian threat of nuclear destruction with all this taking place in just over 1,000 days in office, all Americans should be proud to own such a commemorative. I can’t wait to hear the reasons why this is a bad idea!
If his naysayers point out his extra-marital affairs and/or getting the U.S. involved in Vietnam, I truly believe that the bottom line of JFK’s legacy was that this president inspired the nation in ways that are not necessarily measurable, and it all began with his inaugural speech imploring that we, as Americans should, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” It seems to me that this might be something that should be on that commemorative.
Pete Acampora
Address withheld

No. You reviewed this before, and the respondents were down right giddy over a new commemorative coin to have. Come on people, are coin collectors that stupid getting excited over a new commemorative coin, as if we all ready don’t have enough.
We (collectors) have lost sight of Kennedy and what happened to him to have the half in his honor to begin with. (He was assassinated in case we forgot.)
Why do we honor President Kennedy? It is because he inspired us to be greater of ourselves; ask not what your country can do for you, by the end of this decade we shall put a man on the moon, we will bear any price and any burden in the defense of freedom, the Peace Corps, this is to name a few ideas of inspiration.
And yet when this issue came up a few months back an overwhelming amount of collectors were silly with the thought of a new commemorative coin. Really?
Why 2014? 2014 was used as an excuse to commemorate a coin.? Why not a new design in the year 2013, the 50-year anniversary of his death, or 2017, the centennial of Kennedy’s birth. And why bother with the half dollar, a coin that anyone under the age of 20 or even 30 would not know unless they are a close relative of a collector?
Think about this before we collectors jump on the commemorative coin band wagon.
William J. Izzo
Saginaw, Mich.

If they can do what they did with the Walking Liberty on the $1 coin, why not do it with the Kennedy half dollars and be methodical and what you actually plan to do. Make sure they are 90 percent silver as well.
Also make them available to Massachusetts residents first, since JFK was from Massachusetts. This can be done online by checking with the credit card used, as it has to be from a Massachusetts resident.
Don’t let anyone befuddle you trying to do this. Don’t allow huge quantities as there should be enough to go around. Don’t let dealers get their hands on these before the public. Also have Caroline Bouvier Kennedy see the first run of these coins, so she can give her approval, such as her mother did back in 1964.
James DeGraaf
Address withheld

Yes, a limited number of silver sets with a special finish and then tons of regular clad junk so everybody can get a copy and me and the rest of the poor people won’t be left out.
Oh, this is the Mint we’re talking about. So they will charge out the kazoo no matter what the coins are made of. I changed my mind. Don’t make anything.
Richard Heerdt
Terrell, Texas

Yes, I think so. The Kennedy half dollar has shown so much interest in the past 50 years. Kennedy was such a great president and the first Catholic elected president. I think he is deserving of a special 50th anniversary half dollar set in 2014.
Ed Menghini
Cheyenne, Wyo.

Absolutely. I think this coin needs to be made to commemorate one of our greatest presidents.
Kip Caven
Jackson, Miss.

I would like to see a Kennedy Half dollar commemorative in 2014. I hope the Mint keeps it simple and affordable. I would be happy to see a reverse proof and/or a special finish. It should be 90 percent silver. It should stick to the design, but a dual date would be fine. After the commemorative the design should change to Lady Liberty!
Donald Cantrell
Address witheld

No, it would seem that if a commemorative was issued in 2014, we would be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the issuance of the half dollar, not commemorating the life and passing of the person that is on the coin.
Kennedy passed in 1963, and it would have been better to commemorate him once again with a special design change in 2013. I see no need for a special commemorative coin issue that would commemorate the issuance of the original coin design.
Guy Cleveland
Address withheld

Absolutely not. JFK is one of the most overrated presidents in U.S. history. Apart from his philandering accomplishments, I’m hard pressed to think of a single thing he accomplished.
His image on the half dollar should be replaced with that of a truly great American, Ronald Wilson Reagan.
Bernie Torbik
Huntington Beach, Calif.

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