The 2014-W 50th Anniversary Gold Kennedy Half Dollar

In recent years, the numismatic world has witnessed the captivating phenomenon of modern coins becoming prized spectacles upon their release. One such instance was when the United States Mint offered the 2014-W 50th Anniversary Gold Kennedy Half Dollar for sale. This remarkable coin commemorated the golden anniversary of the first Kennedy Half Dollar, minted from gold, which was introduced fifty years prior in 1964.

On August 5, 2014, the U.S. Mint unveiled the .999-fine, three-quarter-ounce gold coin during the American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money. While the coin was available at various U.S. Mint facilities in Philadelphia, Denver, and Washington, D.C., it was the Chicago-area coin show that saw a massive gathering of thousands of eager buyers. Each buyer was limited to purchasing just one coin.



Anticipation filled the air as collectors lined up, awaiting the Noon Eastern drop, with some intending to promptly sell their newly acquired gold Kennedy halves to coin dealers at the show, hoping for a handsome profit. And indeed, many of them struck gold, figuratively speaking. The U.S. Mint had initially issued the proof coin for $1,240, but within a matter of days, these coins were fetching prices of more than $2,500, with some even soaring beyond $5,000. The first coin sold at the Chicago coin show, graded PR70DCAM by PCGS, fetched an astounding $100,000 in a private transaction.

The U.S. Mint distributed a total of 73,772 examples of the 2014-W Gold Kennedy Half Dollar, nearly reaching the maximum authorized production limit of 75,000 coins. Despite the initial surge in prices in the secondary market during the days, weeks, and months following the coin's release, prices eventually settled closer to the coin's melt value. Consequently, collectors were afforded the opportunity to acquire the best specimens for their Registry Sets, many of which proudly featured the 2014-W Gold Kennedy Half Dollar.