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Federal Reserve puts 2022 half dollars into circulation
By Paul Gilkes , Coin World
Published: Jul 8, 2022, 8 AM
The Federal Reserve has ordered millions of 2022 Kennedy half dollars for circulation and collectors are finding rolls of them at local banks.
Images courtesy of Dan Murphy.
There apparently is a need for Kennedy half dollars, as the Federal Reserve has placed orders for millions of circulation quality coins for release into commerce channels in 2022.
U.S. Mint spokesman Michael White informed Coin World July 1 that the bureau to date had shipped 5.2 million circulation quality Kennedy half dollars to the Federal Reserve — 3 million from the Denver Mint production and 2.2 million from the Philadelphia Mint.
Another 3.08 million coins — 1.54 million from each facility — were sold by the U.S. Mint above face value in bags and rolls.
A Coin World reader tipped the magazine about finding the coins in circulation.
“I know that in 2021 the Mint released tons of halves into circulation,” New York collector Dan Murphy wrote in a June 30 email to Coin World. “Has it happened again for 2022??? All rolls and bags were ‘sold out’ in May and made unavailable.
“I just came from my bank where I secured a large number of rolls of 2022-P Kennedy half dollars.”
Murphy said he was able to secure $500 face value in circulation quality 2022-P Kennedy half dollars from production at the Philadelphia Mint. Murphy obtained the coins from his local bank in Syracuse, New York.
The coins were in 20-coin paper-wrapped rolls, wrapped by the armored carrier Loomis for delivery to bank locations. Loomis Armored Services is one of the Federal Reserve’s contracted carriers for distribution of U.S. Mint-struck coins into general circulation.
Changes in 2021
The Federal Reserve ordered half dollars for circulation in 2021, two decades after it placed its last order for the denomination in 2001. The intervening lack of orders was due to lack of demand for the denomination.
The Mint confirmed the 2021 orders after collectors began reporting finding 2021 Kennedy half dollars in bank rolls.
By year’s end, 66% of the 15,166,400 circulation-quality finish 2021 Kennedy half dollars struck by the Denver and Philadelphia Mints, combined, were shipped to the Federal Reserve for release into circulation.
U.S. Mint spokesman Michael White indicated in December 2021 that 10.3 million 2021 Kennedy half dollars — 6.2 million 2021-D coins and 4.1 million 2021-P coins — were produced for circulation release.
The U.S. Mint struck additional 2021 Kennedy half dollars at the two Mint production facilities for numismatic product sale at premiums above face value.
From 2002 to 2020, all Kennedy half dollar production was destined for offerings of numismatic products, including the circulation-quality pieces, sold at premiums in bag and rolls.