NGC Grade PR 70 US Half Dollar Coins

NGC Certified PR 70 US Half Dollar Coins for the Avid Collector

From time to time, you might come across a half dollar coin and see that they're significantly larger than quarters. Though not nearly as rare as many other coins, high-quality special-edition half dollars can become quite coveted, earning a market value that is many times their face value. Thanks to eBay, you can find reasonably priced NGC certified PR 70 graded US half dollar coins for that can make a glittering addition to your collection.

Every half dollar weighs 11.34 grams or 0.365 troy ounces. It measures 30.61 millimeters or 1.205 inches in diameter and is 2.15 millimeters or 0.085 inches thick. Thus, it is the largest US coin that still remains in regular circulation. The coin consists of 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. From 1965 to 1970, however, there were still half dollars minted that consisted of 40% silver.

Though half dollars have been minted by the US government since 1794, all versions of the coin made since 1964 depict the profile of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, on the obverse side. The year of the coin's mintage is written at the bottom, along with the words, "In God We Trust." The word "LIBERTY" is also written around the top of the coin. On the reverse side, the words, "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. HALF DOLLAR" are emblazoned around the coin. At the center of the reverse side is the Seal of United States, depicting an eagle holding an olive branch. The seal is surrounded by 50 stars. Above the eagle's head is written the national motto of the United States: "E Pluribus Unum."

The Numismatic Guarantee Corporation, or NGC, is one of the top two coin-grading companies in the world. It grades coins on a scale from 1 to 70 and may prefix certain certifications to that grading. A grade of 1 indicates that the coin's date and type are only barely identifiable and that its rims are flat or very nearly flat. A grade of 70 indicates that the coin has no post-production imperfections even at 5x magnification.

The NGC also issues three possible certifications when it grades coins. These are MS, PF or PR, and SP. MS stands for "mint state" and means that the coin is in the same format as circulation issues. Only coins with gradings of 60 and above are eligible to receive this certification. PF (or PR) means that the coin is a proof, which means that the coins are struck in a special format meant just for collectors. SP means that the coin is a "specimen," or a hybrid of a mint state and a proof coin. Thus, a grading of either MS 70 or PR 70 makes a coin highly coveted by collectors and gives it a significant collector's value that makes it much more expensive than lower-graded coins.