NEWMAN PORTAL PROCESSES KENNEDY HALF DOLLAR MATERIALS

Three interesting items, all from different sources, recently passed through the Newman Portal queue. The first is an audio recording from the Wayne Homren library, c. 1965, featuring Gilroy Roberts (designer of the obverse) discussing artistic considerations in the design of the coin. The development of the Kennedy half dollar demonstrates that bureaucracy can move quite quickly when it wants to, and Roberts’ presentation conveys the urgency of the time.

Separately, a copy of the congressional report of December 12, 1963, from the Dan Hamelberg library, reveals the tidbit that the Mint estimated the conversion costs from the Franklin to the Kennedy half dollar to be less than $1,000. This is a staggeringly low number, and the reader is referred to the report for additional detail.

Finally, Roger Burdette contributed his scans from the National Archives, record group 104, entry UD, box 22, related to the Kennedy half dollar. The context of this archive is unclear but appears to be Mint Director Eva Adams’ personal working files. This group includes photographs, press releases, congressional record excerpts and most notably a letter to Adams containing the recollections of Roberts and Frank Gasparro (designer of the reverse). Not surprisingly, the Roberts text is the same that one hears on the audio recording, noted above.

Link to Gilroy Roberts audio recording (part 1):
https://archive.org/details/GilroyRobertsPart1

Link to Gilroy Roberts audio recording (part 2):
https://archive.org/details/GilroyRobertsPart2

Link to Congressional report on the Kennedy half dollar:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/517271

Link to U.S. Mint archive on the Kennedy half dollar:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/517293

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web