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The 1965 SMS Kennedy Half Dollar Roll consists of 20 brilliant uncirculated coins, secured in a coin tube for protection. When the 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar was first released, there was an extreme rush to buy the new half dollar. At every US Mint branch, customers were only able to buy 40 coins at a time, to save some for circulation. Due to increased popularity, the US Mint couldn't keep up with the demand, resulting in no circulating Kennedy Half Dollars in 1964. Because of this rare shortage, especially for a half dollar, the US Treasury demanded that no proof sets would be made in 1965. Instead, the Special Mint Sets or SMS, were struck to appease avid collectors. These special sets were minted at the San Francisco Assay Office, in 1966, striking dates for 1965, 1966, and 1967. In 1965, the sets were sold in soft packaging but upgraded to hard cases for 1966 and 1967 sets.
The Special Mint Sets gave the mint a chance to catch its breath and catch up to the demand for 1968. But the 1965 Kennedy was made with only 40% silver, and the desire for the Kennedy decreased a bit. Gilroy Roberts is the sculptor, who designed Kennedy's portrait on the obverse of the half dollar. Frank Gasparro's design was used for the reverse, a depiction of the US National Seal. Before President Kennedy was killed, a presidential medal was being created in his honor that he approved of. That same design was used on the new Kennedy half dollar, without the late president knowing his picture is on US currency.