1950 Franklin Half Dollar
Containing a high percentage of silver the 1950 Franklin half dollar is highly prized by collectors worldwide. It was designed by John R. Sinnock and John Frederick Lewis and minted in Philadelphia using 90% silver and 10% copper.
The 1950 Franklin Half Dollar has an image of a liberty bell on one side with a small eagle on the right-hand side. The face of the coin features the head of Benjamin Franklin, along with the motto ‘In God we trust.’
The Franklin Half Dollar was produced by the mints between 1948 and 1963. The 1950 version of the coin is considered highly collectible, especially if it’s in good condition as it marks the changing decade.
1950 Franklin half dollar history
During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Franklin Dollar was seen as a collector’s piece. Many people hoarded these coins due to their high silver content. In the 1980’s many of the earlier franklin dollars were sold due to rising silver prices. The coins were reclaimed and melted down to make jewelry. Today this coin is relatively rare and hard to find in mint condition and is considered one of the franklin half dollar key dates.
Mintage
The 1950 version of the Franklin half dollar had a relatively low mintage at 7,742,123. Similar half dollar coins produced in other years have a mintage of over 10 million. Due to the relatively low mintage, the 1950 Franklin half dollar has greater value and is more collectible than other issues.
1950 is considered a semi-key date in history, and many people have held onto Franklin half dollars that were minted in this year. Coins with minimal damage or are completely unmarked have a higher value to collectors, and these coins are often hard to come by.
This coin is readily available in MS60-MS65 condition. MS66 coins are scarce, but it’s thought that there are still a few thousand owned by collectors worldwide. The 1950 Franklin half dollar in MS67 condition is scarce, and there are less than a hundred examples left.
