1960 Franklin Half Dollar : History & Value

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

The particular design of the Franklin Half Greenback–Founding Father Benjamin Franklin on the obverse and the Liberty Bell on the reverse–was closely advocated for by pioneering United States Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross, who served from 1933 to 1953.

Sadly for Ross, the regulation required the reverse design of the half greenback to incorporate an eagle. However she was so dedicated to Franklin and the Liberty Bell as two sides of a unitary design that she sidestepped the spirit of the regulation, which supposed that the eagle be the primary gadget, and relegated it to the right-hand subject. The Fee of Tremendous Arts (CFA) suggested the Secretary of the Treasury regarding new coin designs and disapproved of the reverse on aesthetic grounds. Nonetheless, Ross pushed ahead, stating that the “public should settle for it, prefer it or not.”

The primary Franklin Half {Dollars} got here out in 1948. Nevertheless, due to the massive variety of Strolling Liberty Half {Dollars} nonetheless in circulation on account of inflated wartime manufacturing, the Mint struck restricted numbers of the brand new Franklin sort for the primary a number of years.

But by the late Nineteen Fifties, grasp dies for the Franklin Half Greenback have been extensively worn down. Over a decade of heavy use resulted in extraordinarily tender particulars on cash, even on model new “Mint State’ items. That modified for the 1960 issuance as a result of america Mint lastly reworked the grasp dies. By doing this, the Mint restored element to the sequence and banished the comparatively tender and mushy gadgets of the ’50s.

Whereas the newly reworked grasp dies re-introduced sharply outlined particulars, particularly on the obverse bust of Franklin, the brand new reverse depiction of the Liberty Bell lacked well-cut strains. Due to this, many in any other case Mint State examples haven’t earned the coveted Full Bell Strains (FBL) designation. Moreover, many 1960 Philadelphia half {dollars} show both gentle grease stains or minor bag marks. As such, this can be very tough to search out excellent Mint State examples.

The 1960 mintages by the Philadelphia (6,024,000 items) and Denver (18,215,812 items) mints have been greater than sufficient to fulfill the nation’s booming financial calls for, even after roughly 600,000 half {dollars} have been faraway from circulation that yr to be melted and recoined.

How A lot Is the 1960 Franklin Half Greenback Price?

The 1960 Franklin Half Greenback is a .900 high quality silver coin that now not circulates for 2 causes: first is that half {dollars} now not flow into to any nice diploma, regardless of their continued problem; and second, the coin’s intrinsic worth as of the time of this writing (Might 28, 2024) is $11.50. That’s to not say that the standard instance is uncommon. Greater than six million 1960 Franklin Half {Dollars} have been issued, and though many have been melted right down to reclaim their silver bullion, untold a whole bunch of hundreds or extra examples survive in circumstances starting from well-worn to Mint State.

The 1960 Franklin Half turns into a conditional rarity solely within the grades of MS66+ Full Bull Strains or finer. On the time of writing, solely 4 1960 Franklin Halves have been graded MS67FBL – two by NGC and two by PCGS. Abrasions and bag marks hold most examples from grading MS65, and strike high quality precludes the chance that the cash would possibly show unbroken Full Bell Strains.

On account of these components, high-grade FBL examples promote for prime {dollars}. A PCGS-graded MS67FBL piece bought for over $28,000 in a 2016 Heritage public sale, and a newer sale of an NGC MS67BFL almost hit $8,000. Simply two grades down, examples promote for about $120 or $50 with out Full Bell Strains.

As the commonest grade within the mixed NGC and PCGS registries (over 70% of the full inhabitants), the value ranges off for MS64 examples. These items are value $30 to $40 for the usual grade and as much as $60 with the FBL designation.

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Market Information and Noteworthy Specimens

Prime Inhabitants: PCGS MS67FBL (2, 12/2024), NGC MS67FBL (2, 12/2024), and CAC MS67FBL (1:0 stickered:graded, 12/2024).

• NGC MS67FBL #6277403-008: Heritage Auctions, February 254, 2022, Lot 3074 – $7,800. Angular russet firming on the obverse with peripheral firming of the identical colour on the reverse. Diagonal hit on truncation. There’s a small horizontal mark beneath the ear and one other to the left of the lips. On the reverse, there’s a small rim hit above H.
• PCGS MS67FBL CAC #33954768: Heritage Auctions, August 10, 2016, Lot 4146 – $28,200. Ice blue facilities with speckled gold and orange firming alongside the periphery.
• PCGS MS66+FBL #38130037: Stack’s Bowers, June 17, 2024, Lot 1401 – $1,920. Sensible facilities. Gentle rim firming. Deep rim hit behind Franklins head close to decrease curls. Copper spot on hair behind ear.
• PCGS MS66+FBL #34590913: Heritage Auctions, March 30, 2018, Lot 3694 – $3,120; GreatCollections, June 19, 2022, Lot 1179562 – View. Darkish crescent firming on the obverse and reverse. Myriad tiny ticks on Franklin’s determine and the bell.
• PCGS MS66+FBL CAC #25003964: Legend Uncommon Coin Auctions, August 27, 2020, Lot 213 – $2,350. Diagonal streaks of aubergine firming with an remoted space of gold, maroon, and aubergine firming within the higher proper space of the obverse. Reverse is good.
• PCGS MS66+FBL CAC #36314726: GreatCollections, February 24, 2019, Lot 608069 – View; Legend Uncommon Coin Auctions, Might 16, 2019, Lot 472 – $1,880; Legend Uncommon Coin Auctions, September 26, 2019, Lot 321 – $2,702.50. Engaging crimson, inexperienced, and blue firming, largely centered on the left of the obverse.

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Design

It’s attention-grabbing to notice that each the obverse and reverse designs of the Franklin Half Greenback have been rejected by the CFA. However it appears that evidently the CFA bought it mistaken. The Franklin Half Greenback design, regardless of being easy in idea, has change into an icon of recent U.S. coinage, with the coin’s frosted Cameo Proof strikings being extremely coveted by collectors.

Obverse:

Mint Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock designed each side of the Franklin Half Greenback. His obverse design was primarily based on French artist Jean-Antoine Houdon’s 18th-century bust of Franklin. The date 1960 seems within the lower-right of the obverse, whereas the motto IN GOD WE TRUST curves beneath Franklin and the phrase LIBERTY curves across the high above Franklin. The designer’s initials JRS are situated on the truncation of Franklin’s bust.

Reverse:

Sinnock and future Chief Engraver Gilroy Roberts designed the reverse, which depicts the Liberty Bell and a small eagle (mandated by regulation) at proper.

The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcs above the Liberty Bell whereas the denomination HALF DOLLAR curves beneath it. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM seems to the left of the bell and an eagle, its wings unfold, stands to its proper. Two units of three parallel horizontal strains encircle the bottom and backside of the bell, a key grading diagnostic indicative of strike high quality.

Cash struck on the Denver and San Francisco mints exhibit a small mintmark above the wood beam holding the Liberty Bell, beneath STATES in UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Franklin Half {Dollars} struck on the Philadelphia Mint don’t have a mintmark.

Edge:

The sting of the 1960 Franklin half greenback is reeded.

Designers

From 1925 by 1947, John R. Sinnock was the eighth Chief Engraver of america Mint. He’s finest recognized for the designs of the Roosevelt Dime and the Franklin Half Greenback.

Gilroy Roberts was the ninth Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint, serving from 1948-1965. He’s finest remembered for his design of the Kennedy Half Greenback obverse.

Coin Specs

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