1998-D

Denver's 1998 Kennedy half closed the full-circulation era of the series at 15,064,000 pieces, the lowest single-mint figure of the 1992-1998 stretch and the natural endpoint of standard half dollar production before the 1999 drop and the 2002 mint-set-only cutoff. Philadelphia and Denver together produced just over 30 million 1998 halves, well below the 50-million-plus combined totals of 1994 through 1997. Composition followed the post-1971 cupronickel clad standard: 75% copper, 25% nickel outer layers bonded to a pure copper core at 11.34 g, 30.6 mm in diameter with a reeded edge. The D mintmark sits above the date on the obverse, sharply rendered on the majority of pieces from the year. Roberts's GR initials remain at the neck truncation, with Gasparro's FG to the right of the eagle's tail feathers on the heraldic reverse.

Strike characteristics on the 1998-D show Denver at the cleanest point of the entire 1990s clad run. The mid-to-late 1990s die preparation refinement reached its peak by 1998, and the typical 1998-D shows full hair detail above the ear, crisp central wave detail behind the eye, and well-defined feathers across the eagle's breast and arrow bundles. Cheek and jaw bag marks remain the standard MS66-to-MS67 filter, but the overall strike profile makes the 1998-D one of the easier modern Kennedys to find at MS67 relative to the mintage figure. PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC, Numismatic Guaranty Company, populations show large counts at MS65 and MS66 with a smaller but reachable MS67 population. Counterfeit concern is zero at this composition, and authentication reduces to confirming the reeded edge and the layered rim of the cupronickel clad under magnification. Reeds run sharp and evenly spaced on Denver output of the period.

The 1998-D's collecting value sits at the same structural intersection as its Philadelphia partner: a routine common date in pure terms, but the natural boundary year for collectors building a "circulation era" Kennedy set that closes at 1998 before the 1999 transition and the 2002 mint-set-only era begins. Original 1998 Mint Set rolls remain the most efficient raw source for MS67 candidates, and the date's stronger strike profile produces a higher hit rate per roll than 1994-1997 issues. Certified MS67 carries the typical late-1990s premium. For the broader story of the modern Kennedy half dollar and the series' production arc, see the Kennedy Half Dollar series history.