The Franklin half dollar pairs a Founder's portrait with the Liberty Bell in a fifteen-year, all-silver series whose strike quality is often read through the bell lines.

This guide covers 1948–1963 Franklin half dollars from Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco, including the cataloged 1961 proof doubled-die reverse.

Core specifications

Issue period
1948–1963
Catalog mints
3
Reported catalog mintage
481,701,410
Composition
90% Silver - 10% Copper
Diameter
30.6 mm
Weight
12.5 g

A civic thinker replaces an allegorical Liberty

Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross promoted Benjamin Franklin for the half dollar, and John R. Sinnock adapted Jean-Antoine Houdon's portrait for the obverse. The coin entered circulation in 1948.

The Liberty Bell reverse tied Franklin to American independence. A small eagle was added because law required an eagle on the denomination, and the bell's historic crack remained intentionally visible in the design.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

Franklin faces right, with LIBERTY above, IN GOD WE TRUST below, and the date before the bust.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

The Liberty Bell dominates the reverse with a small eagle at right. The mint mark, when present, appears above the bell, and horizontal bell-line detail is a strike-quality focus.

Where the cataloged coins were made

Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.

  • D — Denver: 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963; 295,415,419. Confirm the D mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
  • P — Philadelphia: 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963; 154,178,591. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
  • S — San Francisco: 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954; 32,107,400. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.

Representative issues that explain the series

The short date-and-mint set is attainable in circulated grades; Full Bell Lines and proof varieties create more demanding specialties.

  • 1948 P — 3,006,814. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1949 S — 3,744,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1953 S — 4,148,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1955 P — 2,876,381. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1961 P — 11,318,244. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.

Start with the major type, then study smaller die differences

The current catalog records 1 varieties. A variety name describes repeatable die features; it does not automatically mean error, rarity, or added value.

The issue catalog keeps all 1 modeled varieties attached to their parent issue records.

Issue catalog

1948 P Franklin Half Dollar1948 D Franklin Half Dollar1949 P Franklin Half Dollar1949 D Franklin Half Dollar1949 S Franklin Half Dollar1950 P Franklin Half Dollar1950 D Franklin Half Dollar1951 P Franklin Half Dollar1951 D Franklin Half Dollar1951 S Franklin Half Dollar1952 P Franklin Half Dollar1952 D Franklin Half Dollar1952 S Franklin Half Dollar1953 P Franklin Half Dollar1953 D Franklin Half Dollar1953 S Franklin Half Dollar1954 P Franklin Half Dollar1954 D Franklin Half Dollar1954 S Franklin Half Dollar1955 P Franklin Half Dollar1956 P Franklin Half Dollar1957 P Franklin Half Dollar1957 D Franklin Half Dollar1958 P Franklin Half Dollar1958 D Franklin Half Dollar1959 P Franklin Half Dollar1959 D Franklin Half Dollar1960 P Franklin Half Dollar1960 D Franklin Half Dollar1961 P Franklin Half Dollar1961 D Franklin Half Dollar1962 P Franklin Half Dollar1962 D Franklin Half Dollar1963 P Franklin Half Dollar1963 D Franklin Half Dollar

From one type coin to a complete catalog

  • One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
  • Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
  • Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
  • Variety study: Choose one date or diagnostic family and record several matching markers for every attribution.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 35 issue records, 1 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

  1. New Half Dollar Design—Benjamin Franklin's Profile — United States Mint
  2. Half Dollar Coins — United States Mint
  3. Franklin Half Dollar category reference — PCGS CoinFacts