The finest known 1967 Kennedy half dollar โ a single SMS coin with Ultra Cameo contrast graded SP-69 by NGC โ sold for $31,200 at Heritage Auctions in January 2019. Your coin probably isn't that one, but with 295 million made and high-grade survivors being genuine rarities, there's a real chance you're holding something worth far more than 50ยข. This free guide tells you exactly what to look for.
Select your coin's strike type, condition, and any known errors โ then hit Calculate to see an estimated value range.
Type a description of what you see on your 1967 half dollar and our analyzer will identify potential varieties and give you a tailored assessment.
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Use the Calculator โThe most sought-after 1967 half dollar is the SMS Deep Cameo โ a Special Mint Set coin where Kennedy's portrait shows heavy, milky-white frosting against a mirror-like background field. Use this checker to assess whether your SMS coin might qualify for a DCAM designation.
Both the portrait and the background (fields) share a similar satin or lightly reflective texture. There is little contrast between Kennedy's face and the coin's surface. Worth $20โ$70 in typical SP-65 to SP-67 grades. Still has silver content value above face.
Kennedy's portrait and the lettering appear bright white and heavily frosted, while the background fields look like dark, black-mirror glass. This stark contrast must be present on both sides. An SP-67 DCAM trades for $350โ$450; an SP-69 DCAM sold for $31,200.
The table below covers all major strike types and varieties across four condition tiers. For a full step-by-step 1967 half dollar identification reference and complete grading breakdown, see the detailed 1967 Kennedy half dollar identification guide at CoinValueApp.
| Variety / Type | Worn / Circ. | About Unc. (AU) | Uncirculated (MS/SP 63โ65) | Gem (MS/SP 66+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Strike (regular) | $7 โ $10 | $10 โ $23 | $20 โ $85 | $200 โ $6,995+ |
| DDO FS-102 (business strike) | $80 โ $150 | $150 โ $475 | $425 โ $2,115+ | $2,115 โ $2,500+ |
| DDO FS-103 (business strike) | $30 โ $60 | $60 โ $100 | $80 โ $200 | $200 โ $325+ |
| DDR FS-801 (business strike) | $20 โ $40 | $40 โ $75 | $34 โ $100+ | $100 โ $235+ |
| SMS Standard | โ | โ | $20 โ $70 | $70 โ $2,400+ |
| โญ SMS Deep Cameo (DCAM) | โ | โ | $100 โ $450 | $450 โ $31,200+ |
| ๐ด SMS QDO FS-101 (quadrupled die) | โ | โ | $135 โ $650 | $650+ |
๐ฑ CoinHix gives you a fast on-the-go way to cross-check your 1967 half dollar's estimated value against live market data โ a coin identifier and value app.
Die varieties are the premium tier of 1967 Kennedy half dollar collecting. Because the mint mark was suppressed by law that year, these varieties โ all cataloged by Fivaz-Stanton (FS) numbers and recognized by PCGS and NGC โ are the only way to differentiate production batches beyond strike type. Each was created during the die-making process, meaning hundreds or thousands of coins were struck from the same affected die. Learning to spot them with a 10ร loupe can turn a routine silver coin into a triple-digit or four-figure find.
This is the signature die variety of the entire 1967 Kennedy half dollar series. The DDO FS-102 originated when the working hub was impressed onto the working die more than once with a slight rotational misalignment โ a process known as a "shift" hubbing. The die then transferred that misalignment to every coin it struck, producing a permanent tripling effect across key design elements.
Visual identification centers on the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST," where tripling is strong and unmistakable under even moderate magnification. Secondary doubling is visible on the word "LIBERTY" and on the date digits "1967." Kennedy's facial features โ including the nostril and lower lip โ may also show light splitting under a 10ร loupe.
Collectors pay a steep premium because the DDO FS-102 is the most dramatic and easiest-to-verify variety for this date, making it a high-confidence purchase at major auction houses. The auction record stands at $2,115 for an MS-64 example at Heritage Auctions in September 2016. In 2024, an AU-53 PCGS example sold for $474, confirming strong demand even in lower circulated grades. This variety is cataloged as PCGS #391390.
The DDO FS-103 is a second, distinct Doubled Die Obverse variety created from a different affected working die than the FS-102. Rather than producing pure tripling, this die shows a characteristic rotational spread โ where one set of design elements appears to have been rotated slightly relative to its paired impression, creating a fan-like spreading of the letter outlines rather than a direct doubling.
Diagnostically, the strongest doubling is visible as a "strong rotational spread on IN GOD" and on "LIB" of LIBERTY. According to Variety Vista attribution data, there is also a "triple spread on RTY of LIBERTY" โ meaning the last three letters show even more layering than the first three. Kennedy's nostril, forehead, eye area, and the hair at the top of the head also show rotational splitting.
Because this variety is cataloged as PCGS #510578 and CONECA DDO-001, it is fully attributed by major grading services. Its more moderate visual impact compared to the FS-102 means it trades at a significant discount, but confirmed certified examples in mid-MS grades represent genuine added value over common business strikes of the same date.
The DDR FS-801 is the most prominent Doubled Die Reverse variety documented for the 1967 Kennedy half dollar. Unlike the obverse varieties, this error was created from a misaligned hubbing on the reverse working die โ meaning the eagle, lettering, and stars on the reverse side carry the die-doubling, while the obverse of the same coin appears normal.
The key visual diagnostic is "notching of the stars directly above the rays and clouds" in the upper field of the reverse. In plain terms, the star points appear to have a small notch or groove cut into them, created by the secondary die impression landing slightly offset from the first. Beyond the stars, "considerable doubling throughout" the reverse design has been documented โ including on the eagle's feather details and the surrounding motto lettering.
This is the most accessible of the 1967 Kennedy die varieties from a cost standpoint, with the Greysheet CPG ranging from $34 to $235. An AU-58 example has been valued at over $100 by dealers. It is cataloged as PCGS #391391 (CONECA DDR-001), and because it requires examining the reverse rather than the more-scrutinized obverse, it remains underidentified in the marketplace โ a genuine cherry-picking opportunity.
The SMS QDO FS-101 is the rarest cataloged die variety for the 1967 Kennedy half dollar, and uniquely it is found only on Special Mint Set coins โ not on regular business strikes. "QDO" stands for Quadrupled Die Obverse, meaning the die was hubbed four separate times during manufacture, each time with a slight misalignment. The result is four overlapping impressions of the design elements on every coin struck from that die.
Because SMS coins were struck with specially prepared dies and planchets at slower, higher-pressure settings, the quadrupling in the design elements is often more distinctly separated than a typical business-strike DDO. Strong quadrupling is visible on the obverse lettering โ including the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "LIBERTY" โ where four distinct letter-outline layers can be resolved under magnification.
The compounding value of this variety is significant: a standard 1967 SMS coin in SP-67 is worth approximately $50โ$70, but a confirmed SMS SP-67 QDO FS-101 has been offered for $650 โ a premium of nearly $600 added by the variety designation alone. In 2023, PCGS SP-66 examples sold for around $135 on eBay. The variety is cataloged by PCGS and CONECA, and any suspected example should be submitted for variety attribution before sale.
Off-center strikes occur when a blank planchet is not properly seated between the dies at the moment of striking. Instead of the design landing centered on the planchet, it is shifted to one side, leaving a crescent of blank, unstruck metal visible on the opposite edge. Unlike die varieties โ which affect hundreds or thousands of coins from one die โ each off-center strike is a unique event at the press.
For 1967 Kennedy half dollars, value scales directly with the degree of off-centering measured as a percentage of the coin's diameter. Minor off-centers below 5% add minimal premium. Coins struck 20% or more off-center โ especially those that still show a readable date โ are the most desirable, since the date confirms the year and denomination. At 50% off-center with date visible, values can reach $500 or more for a high-grade example.
The 40% silver content of the 1967 half dollar gives off-center errors a built-in silver floor value, making them more attractive than equivalent errors on copper or clad coins. Eye appeal and centering of the visible design elements also matter significantly. Collectors pay premiums for dramatic off-centers on silver coins, and the 1967 date โ with no mint mark โ is one of the most recognizable in the Kennedy series.
๐ช Found one of these errors on your coin? Run the calculator to get a value estimate for your specific variety and grade combination.
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| Strike Type | Mint | Mint Mark | Mintage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Strike | Philadelphia | None (by law) | 295,046,978 | Largest mintage of any silver-clad Kennedy half dollar; heavily hoarded due to silver content |
| Special Mint Set (SMS) | Philadelphia | None (by law) | 1,863,344 | Issued only in five-coin green plastic mint sets; superior finish; DCAM examples are conditionally rare |
| Total 1967 | โ | โ | 296,910,322 | Final year of the mint mark prohibition (1965โ1967) and final year of the SMS program |
| Metal composition | 40% silver, 60% copper (outer layers: 80% silver, 20% copper; inner core: 20.9% silver, 79.1% copper) |
| Actual silver weight | 0.1479 troy ounces pure silver per coin |
| Weight | 11.50 grams |
| Diameter | 30.61 mm |
| Edge | Reeded (150 reeds) |
| Obverse designer | Gilroy Roberts |
| Reverse designer | Frank Gasparro |
| PCGS # (regular) | 6710 |
Kennedy's hair above the ear is flattened into a smooth plane with no individual strand detail. The cheekbone ridge has little to no definition. High points on the eagle's breast feathers are worn flat. The coin retains its 40% silver melt value โ typically $7โ$10 โ but numismatic premium is minimal unless a die variety is present.
Slight friction is visible on the very highest points โ Kennedy's cheek and the hair above the ear may show a faint trace of flatness. The coin retains at least 80โ90% of its original mint luster in the lower fields. Most of the hair detail above the ear is still sharp. AU examples are worth $10โ$23 for business strikes.
No wear anywhere on the coin's surfaces. Full mint luster present. The distinction at this level is surface quality โ bag marks, contact marks, and abrasions reduce the grade. MS-63 trades for $20โ$25; MS-65 (Gem) trades for $45โ$85. For SMS coins, equivalent SP-65 examples start at $20, rising to $450+ with Deep Cameo designation.
Virtually contact-mark free. Luster is full, rich, and unbroken. At MS-66, the 1967 business strike jumps to $200โ$225 โ a steep cliff from MS-65. MS-67 is an extreme condition rarity with fewer than a dozen known; it commands around $1,000+. The MS-68 record is $6,995 (PCGS, eBay, November 2020).
๐ CoinHix lets you match your coin's surfaces to graded examples directly from your phone, helping you estimate condition before submitting to a grading service โ a coin identifier and value app.
Best for: Certified MS-67+, SMS DCAM SP-67+, or confirmed die varieties in high grades. Heritage reaches thousands of serious Kennedy half dollar specialists and has set the top records for this date. Consignment fees apply (typically 10โ15%), but competitive bidding on rare coins routinely exceeds dealer offer prices.
Best for: Certified mid-grade coins (MS-63 to MS-66, SP-65 to SP-67) and die variety coins in any grade. eBay's completed listings show the actual sold prices for 1967 half dollar listings โ check these before pricing your own coin. Raw (uncertified) examples in the $10โ$50 range perform well here when described accurately.
Best for: Worn or circulated examples, bulk silver lots, and coins you want to sell quickly without shipping risk. Dealers buy at below-retail prices (typically 50โ70% of retail for common coins) but offer instant payment. Bring any variety attribution documentation you have โ it can meaningfully change the offer for DDO FS-102 or SMS DCAM coins.
Best for: Mid-grade certified coins where you want to sell directly to collectors without eBay fees. The r/CoinSales and r/Coins4Sale communities have active buyers familiar with Kennedy half dollar varieties. A photo of the PCGS or NGC slab and a fair asking price based on recent eBay comparables typically attracts quick responses.