1964-D Kennedy Half MS65 Prooflike NGC, Ex: Kenneth Bressett. The only certified Prooflike Mint State 90% silver Kennedy half. This is one of our all-time favorite coins, and one of the very first that got us hooked on the fascinating, long, and complex Kennedy half series. This coin, whenever I sell my Registry Sets (years down the road, folks, I hope), will be accompanied by a signed letter dated January 16, 2007, from Guide Book editor Ken Bressett that tells its story:
“Our mutual friend, Mark Borckardt, asked me to write to you with information about the unusual Prooflike 1964-D half dollar that you have purchased. Unfortunately, I do not know much more than what was published in the description in the recent Heritage auction.
“I do remember clearly the day that it was discovered. The new Kennedy half dollars had just been released and one of the Whitman employees rushed over to a bank in Racine, WI and bought two rolls. He brought them back to the office where I was working at that time and let us all pick out a few of the coins.
“Neil Shafer and I noticed that a couple of the coins had a Prooflike surface. The piece that you recently bought was, as I recall, the nicest of all and fully PL on both sides. None of the others were nearly as nice, and most of the others in both rolls were simply normal Uncirculated coins.
“It is my understanding that this coin is the only one that has been graded Prooflike by any service, and I have not seen or heard of any others that look anything like this, except for its few mates in that unusual roll. I have no idea where any of the other coins ended up, or where they are today. I saved a couple of the nicer pieces, but I do not know if Neil saved any of his. At the time they were just nice examples of a new and very exciting coin design.
“I hope you enjoy your new purchase, I think it is a very unusual piece.”
(Signed) Ken Bressett
NGC Census: 1 in 65 Prooflike, 0 finer (7/2014). No other 1964-Ds have ever been certiified Prooflike at either service. NGC has certified one 1964 AU58 Prooflike. But this coin, with the unique Gem Prooflike designation and pedigreed to the day of release and Ken Bressett, is a monumentally important coin. Our favorite Kennedy half in our collection. Well, almost …
