If you can't afford clad half dollars, then it would be better to stick with the halves you have - or quarters.

Jim

Go into any casino in Vegas, go up to the Teller cage and buy a roll of .50 pieces. Some casinos don't have them on hand any more. I have about a dozen rolls in my magic case (and another dozen sorted into years) I always try to match the gaffed coin.

And of course come to MAGIC LIVE in Vegas this summer, or ask anyone you know going to Vegas to do this for you. I think a roll is ten bucks. Buy a couple. Now, how do you keep from LOSING your gaffed coin?

(I especially tend to lose the ultra magnetic halves. I have started keeping all the gaffe coins and their support items in leather coin purses) The duplicate support coins I keep in coin envelopes.

I think the best way to avoid the date problem with Kennedy halves is to go with the 1964 silver Kennedys.You can go to a coin shop and ask to go through the junk silver.I paid $6 each for mine.
You would need to get another shell but you will be set up with beautiful coins and you won't have to update to 1964s if you ever decide to buy a coin set from the custom gaffers.

Frank

Wow, all these different places suggested to find Kennedy half dollars, which haven't been in circulation for a long time, so good luck with any stores OR local banks.

I think it might have been John Dillenger who was once asked, "Why do you rob banks?"

His answer was, "Because that's where the money is."

I gave up on all crazy places to get my Kennedy half dollars and just went right to the source, because they're the ones that make them = THE US MINT!

I think Kennedy half dollars are the perfect coin for doing coin magic. They're big enough to be visual and visible, but not so big or odd (like an Eisenhower dollar) as to raise suspicion.

Just my 50 cents on the matter, though don't confuse me WITH "50 Cent" or "4-Bit" as his good friends call him.

It was Willie Sutton that said "Because that's where the money is."

John Dillinger said: "I rob banks for a living, what do you do?"

As I mentioned before, I make a trip to a bank near my house every few weeks. The teller puts them aside for me as they come in. Usually 1 roll every 2 weeks.

Anyway! I sat down today and pulled out all the Kennedy Halves to sort and organize them for storage. (I used to collect coins so I'm a little obsessive about that)
I had about 50 coins from the 70's, 22 from the 80's, 32 from the 90's and 6 from this century (including a 2010 and 2013)

I have a few x ] and a Hopping half set. I will try to match up the appearance of the gaff and halves for a good match (and the dates)
I'm glad I saw this thread, otherwise I wouldn't have done this.

Ihop, you've enjoyed far better luck that I have, so far. I've been to every bank in my neighborhood on multiple (and still ongoing) occasions, but have yet to find a single half dollar from this century (2001 or later).

1970s, 1980s, and 1990s halves seem to be available in abundance at banks, but of course they are considerably less than optimal matches for my 2012 Johnson exp [ (the millennial difference just strikes me as perhaps a little too big & obvious of a discrepancy for comfort).

Might you be willing to part with your 2010 and 2013 halves? Just asking....

Karnak,
Sure, no problem.
PM me your address.
I posted the above post from memory and just double checked. Instead of 2010, it's a 2005 half.
So:
The 6 coins I have from the 2000s' are: 1 x 2013, 1 x 2005,1 x 2001, and 3 x 2000
You are welcome to all or part of them.
My price? $.50 each plus whatever postage will be.
You are in the USA? Right.
You can Paypal me as soon as I know how many you want and what the post office wants.
Regards

Your kindness is greatly appreciated, Ihop! Will send PM shortly.

I know this is going off on a tangent, so I apologize in advance.

But, does anyone know why the Kennedy half dollars look like Kennedy's throat was slit with a knife? (look at some of the images above, and then look at your own Kennedy coins). I know he was shot in the neck and the surgeon made a large horizontal incision in the neck, but did they have to put it on the coin? This just seems creepy.

Does anyone know anything about this?

KJ