1963-1964 United States Proof Set 2pc

Two American Numismatic Eras in One Historic Set!

When John F. Kennedy died suddenly and tragically on November 22, 1963, an entire nation was swept in a wave of sorrow and disbelief. That initial shock quickly turned to an urgent desire to commemorate the life and work of the 35th President of the United States. The U.S. Mint immediately went to work on a new design to replace the Benjamin Franklin Half Dollar created by John R. Sinnock. The result was a new Kennedy Half Dollar designed by Gilroy Roberts (obverse) and Frank Gasparro (reverse) that has endured to this day.

When news of this new Kennedy Half Dollar hit the press, advance orders for the U.S. Mint's 1964 Proof Sets rushed in. The demand was so high that by January 11, 1964, orders were temporarily suspended and customer purchase limits were drastically reduced. However, even with those restrictions, orders had to halt again two months later due to the overwhelming amount of requests -- reaching nearly 100,000 a day at their peak! Now, nearly 55 years later, you can secure both the last U.S. Mint Proof Set to feature the Franklin Half Dollar (1963) AND the first proof set featuring the Kennedy Half Dollar (1964) in one two-set collection!

• TWO STUNNING SETS-- In addition to the Half Dollars we mentioned above, each five-piece proof set includes a Lincoln Cent, Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime and Washington Quarter.
• SUPERB PROOF-MINTED COINS-- Using polished dies and planchets, each coin is the product of multiple strikes. It's this attention to craft that makes these coins literal "proofs" of the Philadelphia Mint's artistry, each exhibiting mirrored fields and frosted details.
• THE (SEMI-)LAST OF THE SILVER PROOFS-- These two sets are also the last traditional U.S. Mint Proof Sets to include coins struck in 90% pure silver. Here, the dime, quarter and half dollar all take their final bow as silver-minted coins -- not to return again until the U.S. Mint's Silver Proof Sets debuted in 1992!
• ORIGINAL MINT PACKAGING-- Both your 1963 and 1964 Proof Sets will arrive in their original United States Mint packaging and envelopes -- still sealed after over five decades!
• THE LAST OF MILLIONS -- The U.S. Mint produced just over three million 1963 Proof Sets and nearly four million 1964 Proof Sets. Of those released, some are still treasured in private collections while many more were opened, sold and melted for their silver content. That leaves only a fraction still available today!

When you step back, the story behind the Kennedy Half Dollar is truly remarkable. From great tragedy came an unprecedented effort to unite a nation through its coinage. Each half dollar is a somber reminder of John F. Kennedy's fate, but also a resilient celebration of his life of service. Don't miss this opportunity to add these two historic sets to your collection -- order yours today!