Gas station owner discovers $3.1 million coin in his cash register
The extremely rare coin - known as the 1964 Kennedy half dollar - was minted shortly after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
The world of numismatics, the study and collection of coins, often produces surprising discoveries. Everyday-looking coins can turn out to have astonishing value to collectors and net the owners a huge windfall.
One such case involved the 1964 Kennedy half dollar, created shortly after the assassination of the 35th President of the United States. A gas station owner found one of these coins in the cash register and quickly spotted its potential value.
The coin was whole and in pristine condition. According to the owner, it did not look like “a common circulating coin.” After being authenticated it was confirmed as a commemorative issue honoring the late Democratic president.
In this APMEX Answers article, we look at what makes the 1976 Bicentennial Kennedy Half Dollar stand out from other modern circulating coins. At first glance, it appears to be just another half dollar, but its story sets it apart.
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The coin was issued to honor the 200th… pic.twitter.com/bXNVZAWeHJ
The coin is composed of a 90 percent silver alloy. On one side it shows John F. Kennedy’s portrait, the year 1964, and the motto “In God We Trust.” The reverse features the presidential seal of the United States with the American eagle.
It eventually sold for a record $3.1 million to a private collector. The coin was graded PR69 by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), one of the highest distinctions in numismatics.
It’s an incredible find for the lucky gas station owner but it still falls some way short of the most expensive coin ever sold. A 1933 ‘double eagle’ coin was sold at auction for $18.9 million in June 2021, due to its intriguing backstory and the belief that it is the only one available for private ownership.
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