1964 sms kennedy half dollar

what exactly is sms . i have some 64kennedys and would like to know . look like the sms bring a high price.

 

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SMS stands for Special Mint Set. In 1965, 66, and 67, they didn't produce proofs, but only SMS sets. They appear prooflike with mirrored fields and often with cameoed appearance. As 64 had both proofs and SMS sets, I'm unsure of how to distinguish between the two, so I can't really answer your question as to how to tell the difference, but I hope this helps....Mike

 

mike:
1964 had only proofs, but a selevt few '64 were issued in preparation/ anticipation of the 1965 (+) SMS.
They are extremely rare.
Proofs: Mirror finish, deep reflectivity.
SMS: espeically for 1965-- far less mirroring effect, some seem to have some bag marks (even in the original cases).
They look like a nice unc coin, so I imagine that the 64's would look the same.

 

thanks . i think mine are from bank rolls.

 

I don't mean to bring up a dead thread here but I've reviewed what I can find here and I find myself more curious now than prior. If I could impose bit, I'd like to know the identifying characteristics of a 64 SMS. I'd searched online too and am left with many questions as to what is an SMS and what isn't. Additionally I have around $150 face value of 64 Kennedys that I drug out of long storage and I can't tell the differences I'm supposed to see. I've looked at Heritage (linked here) and am further confused. Can anyone tell me the best way to ascertain whether or not my coins can be ruled out as 'rarities'? I know it's a long shot but I have quite a few that 'look' like the photos I've been able to find. I mean, the odds are greatly against me but, I only need one, right? Thank you all in advance! Any information leading this horse to water would be much appreciated.

 

Just an update here. I think I've found one way to ascertain SMS status or no. The 'teardrop' under the cross of the 4 in 64. That is narrowing down my collection for sure. :/

 

I see that on PCGS pictures as well.

 

I guess the teardrop and the fingerprints are the tell tale signs (aside from being struck well). Any help?

 

Are you referring to the dot just above and right of the cross of the "4"?
Is this marker is on all 64 SMS quarter?
Surely someone has written about this in the past.
Where are the "Books before Coins" guys?
What say you?

 

No, the "teardrop" is this :



Keep in mind, only one 1964 SMS has been offered in public in the last six years, and it sold for $47,000. These are by far the scarcest of all Kennedys.

 

They arent mirrored in appearance due to the polish lines that vivrt the complete field running north south. It gives a frosted finish like a cameo proof but with the entire side of the coin all that finish. The coins are noticeably different on camera and much much more so in person. The strike is also performed on a much larger tonnage press making it very distinguished hammered in strike. Looks pronounced and I wish they would have continued it the entire series if not the finish. You can definitely spit the difference in re wire rim with it's super sharp square edge and mirrored surfaces show up here instead if the opposite you see in a proof. They did these as a test that did not transfer into production the following year. Next to eachother the 64 and 65 might ws well be from different countries. It's that noticeable.

 

I believe that the sms1964 Kennedy halves all of the sms does not have a tear drop in them and please let me put this in If you look at the 65,66,67 quarters where is the tear drop in them and then the 65,66,67 Kennedy where is the tear drop in them all sms should have a tear drop so if these coin here does not have a tear drop then why is the 1964 sms Kennedy the only sms with a tear drop the only thing I can say is the 1964 sms Kennedy halves all of them does not have tear drops but the only thing I can say is that if you have a 1964 Kennedy and look like a sms which the are say it not and you compare the 1964 with a 65,66,67 and look about the same why then not call it 1964 sms Kennedy half they look exactly the same and only does not have the tear drop in comparison with the 65,66,67 sms Kennedy halves and the 65,66,67 sms quarters

 

The 1965-67 SMS coins can vary widely in appearance so any comparison with them is questionable.

The "teardrop" is not an infallible marker because it also appears on some business strikes as well. (But it appears on ALL 1964 SMS halves. So no teardrop it isn't a SMS, with teardrop good sign but more proof is needed.)

The SMS coins are supposed to be sharp strikes from new dies but they ALL show heavy "polish lines", and these polish lines need to match EXACTLY between a suspect SMS coin and a known one. Even then there can be questions. There is fairly good evidence that the reverse die of the SMS Cent, after the SMS coins were struck, was then used for regular business strikes. So it may be possible that the other SMS dies were also used for business strikes.

Frankly if you can't trace your supposed 1964 SMS coin back to the sale of the Eva Adams coins it isn't going to get certified as a SMS, and without that certification it's just a common 1964 coin.

 

In the future, please try to use punctuation. When you crowd your thoughts together, the ideas become muddled in the process. Besides, I run out of breath when reading it. ~ Chris

PS. Listen to Conder101! He knows what he is talking about.

 

What are the coins in the Postal Comm 25 years uncirculated mint set's and complete JFK uncirculated half dollar collection?

 

Regular business strikes, hopefully uncirculated. These are sets put together by a private company. They only way you are going to get something good in one of those sets is if they slipped up and unknowingly put in a variety such as a doubled die etc.

 

Doug is right. The ‘64 SMS Kennedy was intended as a pattern. They do exist, but I cannot say that I have ever seen one. They are reputed to be sharper strikes, but the overall appearance is not the same as the 1965-67 SMS Kennedy’s that we all know. Theoretically, it is the most valuable JFK Half, due to its exclusivity.

 

Thanks

 

I have the SMS five coin sets from the Postal Society JFK 1966 and 1967 with very nice looking coins