Franklin Half Dollar
Obverse Design: Portrait of Benjamin Franklin
Designer: John R. Sinnock
Design Year: 1948
Reverse Design: Liberty Bell with eagle on right
Designer: John R. Sinnock
Design Year: 1948
Production Years: 1948-1963
Mintmarks: None (Philadelphia), D (Denver), S (San Francisco)
Mintmark Location: On reverse, centered above bell yoke
Diameter: 30.6mm
Thickness: 2.15mm
Edge: Reeded
Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
Mass: 12.5g
Notes: Eagle on reverse was required by law. Many Franklin half dollars were melted beginning in 1964, when the intrinsic value of the silver in the coin exceeded face value. Nonetheless, Franklin fifty cent pieces remain quite affordable! The most significant error in the series is the so called “Bugs Bunny” error, caused by damage on the obverse die producing a split in the upper lip which makes Franklin appear to have buck teeth. The “Bugs Bunny” error is found on 1955 Philadelphia coins.
Franklin Half Dollar Mintages
Issue Total Mintage Notes
1948 3,006,814
1948-D 4,028,600
1949 5,614,000
1949-D 4,120,600
1949-S 3,744,000
1950 7,793,509
1950-D 8,031,600
1951 16,859,602
1951-D 9,475,200
1951-S 13,696,000
1952 21,274,073
1952-D 25,395,600
1952-S 5,526,000
1953 2,796,820
1953-D 20,900,400
1953-S 4,148,000
1954 13,421,502
1954-D 25,445,580
1954-S 4,993,400
1955 2,876,381
1956 4,701,384
1957 6,361,952
1957-D 19,966,850
1958 4,917,652
1958-D 23,962,412
1959 7,349,291
1959-D 13,053,750
1960 7,715,602
1960-D 18,215,812
1961 11,318,244
1961-D 20,276,442
1962 12,932,019
1962-D 35,473,281
1963 25,239,645
1963-D 67,069,292
