US · Fifty Cents · 1948–1963
Franklin Half Dollar (1948–1963)
Benjamin Franklin obverse, Liberty Bell reverse. The small eagle to the right of the bell satisfied the statutory requirement for an eagle on half dollars. Series cut short after the Kennedy assassination. Full Bell Lines (FBL) designation across the lower bell bands is the premium attribute.
i.
Reference photos
Obverse
Photo: John Baumgart (Variety Slabbing Service) for the image; John R. Sinnock for the coin design. / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Franklin_Half_1963_D_Obverse.png (public-domain)
Reverse
Photo: User Chris 73 on en.wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BenjaminFranklinHalfDollarBack.jpg (public-domain)
ii.
Specifications
| Designer | John R. Sinnock |
|---|---|
| Composition | 90% silver / 10% copper |
| Weight | 12.5 g |
| Diameter | 30.6 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Series | Franklin Half Dollar |
| Years issued | 1948–1963 |
iii.
Key dates & varieties
| Year | Mintmark | Variety | Mintage | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | P | — | 3.0M | semi-key |
| 1949 | S | — | 3.7M | semi-key |
| 1953 | P | — | 2.7M | semi-key |
| 1955 | P | — | 2.5M | semi-key |