Designed by Mint chief engraver John R. Sinnock, the Franklin half dollar replaced the Walking Liberty in 1948. The obverse shows a portrait of Benjamin Franklin; the reverse depicts the Liberty Bell with a small eagle beside it. Once criticized as plain, the series is now a popular, affordable 90% silver type.
Key facts
- Designed by: John R. Sinnock
- Issue dates: 1948–1963
- Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
- Diameter: 30.6 mm
- Weight: 12.50 grams (192.9 grains)
- Edge: Reeded
There are no major rarities in the short series — a business strike is easy to find in any grade from Very Fine through superb Uncirculated, and Proofs were struck 1950–1963. Value is driven mostly by condition and strike. Full Bell Lines (FBL): the horizontal lines at the base of the Liberty Bell are often incompletely struck; coins with complete, separated lines earn the FBL designation and bring strong premiums, and FBL examples of several dates are scarce.
The dates to watch are the first-year 1948, the low-mintage 1949-S and 1953, and the 1955 — along with any date with full, mark-free Bell Lines.
We actively buy Franklin half dollars in every grade, from circulated silver to low-mintage dates and sharp Full Bell Lines and Proof examples. Send photos for a free, no-obligation offer.