Set of 2: 1964 Accent Hair & Type 2 Kennedy Half Dollars NGC PF68 Ultra Cameo Kennedy Aspirational Label Rick Tomaska Signature Series
Set of 2: 1964 Accent Hair & Type 2 Kennedy Half Dollars
NGC PF68 Ultra Cameo
Kennedy Aspirational Label
Rick Tomaska Signature Series
Featured on the April 20, 2023 Live Auction Show was one of the rarest proof Kennedy dates in ULTRA CAMEO condition! Namely, 1964 Accented Hair Kennedy Signature NGC PF 68 ULTRA CAMEO, the RAREST KEY DATE PROOF KENNEDY IN ULTRA CAMEO CONDITION And 1964 Type 2 Kennedy Signature NGC PF 68 ULTRA CAMEO, the second (or third) RAREST PROOF KENNEDY IN ULTRA CAMEO CONDITION!
From The Desk of Rick Tomaska:
The mythical, and perhaps mystical, 1964 Accented Hair Kennedy! Arguably the most iconic Kennedy half struck for the series, with the MOST FASCINATING PIECE OF AMERICAN HISTORY in all of U.S. numismatics.
Rather then get into the weeds on the back story, the 1964 Kennedy was rushed into production in January of 1964 following the tragic assassination of President Kennedy in late November of 1963. The first coins struck were proof coins. After approximately 100,000 1964 proof Kennedy half dollars were struck, the mint invited Mrs. Kennedy to see the new coins. She did not approve of the design. She wanted the hair details in her late husband’s hair modified. Of course, the mint complied. They immediately STOPPED THE COIN PRESSES after only 100,000 were struck, to redesign President Kennedy’s hair! These first 100,000 proof Kennedy half dollars are referred to as the “Accented Hair” variety.
It is most important to understand that not only is the mintage of this variety extremely low, but that the general quality of these Accented Hair proof Kennedy half dollars are the absolute WORST QUALITY proof coins in the entire Kennedy series! Milk spots and hairlines are the rule of thumb for this earliest Kennedy half dollar. One can only speculate that in its rush to get the coins out to a clamoring public eager to acquire one of these coins, if only as a momento, the mint, in its haste, obviously lowered their quality control standards.
Finding a 1964 Accented Hair Kennedy in near hairline free, spot-free condition, is most difficult. In Proof 68, these coins are extremely scarce.
However, finding an Accented Hair Kennedy that was struck from a brand new set of dies, where the dies were in their most pristine, unworn state, with ultra heavily frosted devices, borders on the impossible. And when you do find one, it typically exhibits hairlines and milk-spots. This specimen ranks among the most spectacular specimens I have ever seen or handled. The cameo contrast is high end ULTRA!
To offer some perspective as to the rarity of this 1964 Accented Hair Kennedy in Signature Series PF 68 ULTRA CAMEO condition, I have never personally found an Accented Hair the approached the quality and cameo contrast of this monster in a proof set!
The 1964 Type 2, the variety that was struck when the Accented Hair was discontinued, has a much higher mintage, but is also quite rare in ULTRA CAMEO condition. The only other proof Kennedy date that might compete with the 1964 T2 in rarity is the 1971-S proof Kennedy.
