2015-S Kennedy Presidential Dollar Proof : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

The 2015-S John F. Kennedy Presidential Dollar was one of four designs released that year. The coin honors the nation’s 35th president, a man whose election represented a generational shift in American leadership. Kennedy’s presidency saw advances in the U.S. space program, civil rights, and foreign diplomacy. He faced down Soviet missles in Cuba and negotiated a partial nuclear test ban. Unfortunately, the popular president’s legacy went unfinished after Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed JFK in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.

Numismatic tributes to Kennedy in the aftermath of his assassination were issued by various public and private mints around the world. The most significant, of course, was the Kennedy Half Dollar, which debuted in 1964.

How the 2015-S Kennedy Presidential Dollar Proof Was Sold

The United States Mint offered collectors the opportunity to purchase the 2015-S Kennedy Presidential Dollar Proof coin in three sets: the United States Mint Presidential $1 Coin Proof Set; the 2015 United States Mint Clad Proof Set; and the 2015 United States Mint Silver Proof Set.

These sets today sell for under $20, giving each uncertified 2015 Presidential Dollar a retail value of about $5. In certified condition, unimpaired coins will typically grade either Proof 69 or Proof 70 with Ultra Cameo/Deep Cameo contrast. Coins in 69 typically sell for less than the cost to submit the coin for encapsulation, and recent sales of 70s on eBay show prices ranging from $30 to $60, though the lower end of that range seems more reasonable, given the current state of demand for the series.

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2015-S John F. Kennedy Presidential Dollar Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Top Population: PCGS PR70DCAM (1,917, 3/2025), NGC PF70UCAM (2,434, 3/2025), and CAC PR70DCAM (1, 3/2025).

• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, March 16, 2025 – $29. 1 Bid..
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, March 9, 2025 – $49.95. Buy It Now.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, February 25, 2025 – $48.99. Buy It Now. First Strike.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, February 25, 2025 – $59. Buy It Now.

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Design

Obverse:

Inspired by Aaron Shikler’s official presidential portrait of John F. Kennedy, Don Everhart’s obverse for the Kennedy $1 coin offers up an unusual and somber image of the slain President. On the coin, Kennedy looks downward and to the left. The muscles on his face appear strained, as if he is deep in thought. Kennedy’s hair is neatly groomed, his part is accentuated. His coat is form-fitting. The designer’s initials DE are located on Kennedy’s left shoulder. The coin’s inscriptions wrap around the rim of the coin and read: JOHN F. KENNEDY, IN GOD WE TRUST, 35th PRESIDENT, and 1961-1963.

Common Reverse:

Don Everhart’s reverse design features an ant’s-eye view of the Statue of Liberty offset to the left. On the coin, Liberty occupies the bottom right quadrant of the coin, her extended elbow being the coin’s center point. The design is framed by a thin inner circle, which separates the graphic design from the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Beneath Liberty’s extended torch-bearing arm is the denomination $1. This is the common reverse design for all Presidential Dollar coins.

Edge:

The edge of the Presidential Dollar is lettered and features the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, the mintmark S for the San Francisco Mint, the year of issuance 2015, and 13 five-pointed stars. This edge inscription may be oriented facing the obverse (Position A) or the reverse (Position B).

Coin Specifications

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