Description
This is a 1980-S Kennedy half dollar certified PCGS PR69 Deep Cameo. It’s a near-perfect proof with frosted devices set against black mirror fields, from the year of the “Miracle on Ice.”
Grade: Certified PCGS PR69 Deep Cameo, one point short of perfect. The portrait, the hair and the Presidential Seal eagle are heavily frosted against deep black mirror fields, giving the full black-and-white contrast collectors look for in modern proofs. Please see the photos.
Historical context: In February 1980, the U.S. Olympic hockey team of college players beat the heavily favored Soviet Union at Lake Placid, a win remembered as the “Miracle on Ice.” It’s still one of the most celebrated moments in American sports. The same year, silver hit an all-time high above $49 an ounce during the Hunt brothers’ attempt to corner the market.
Series: The Kennedy half dollar was released in March 1964 as the nation’s memorial to the late President. Proofs were struck in San Francisco from 1968 on, with the S mint mark on the obverse above the date. By 1980 the Mint’s proofs regularly showed strong cameo contrast, and Deep Cameo PR69 coins like this one are the condition most registry collectors aim for.
Curiosity Coins — Medway, Massachusetts | Est. 1999 | ANA • PCGS • NGC • Heritage Auctions Member / Buying & selling US and world coins, silver, gold, currency, and collectibles since 1999. Many auctions start at $5 — combined shipping always available. Questions welcome.