1953-S Franklin Half Dollar
Earn a mint with this 1953-S Franklin half dollar, which is a rare find when in excellent condition. The Franklin half dollar was minted between 1948 and 1963, and for a coin that is not so uncommon due to its high circulation rate, 1953 is one of the Franklin half dollar key dates. It is also popular due to its high silver content. Its mint designation of S represents its production at the San Francisco mint.
History
The Franklin half dollar was the inception of Nellie Tayloe Ross, the U.S. Mint's director. She had long admired Benjamin Franklin and wanted his likeness on a coin. Ross asked her chief engraver John R. Sinnock to prepare the designs, which based these on his earlier work but he passed away before completing them. Gilroy Roberts finished the work. A later attribution was given to John Frederick Lewis as his sketches provided the basis for the final rendering.
Design specifics
The Franklin half dollar's obverse is donned with the portrait of Franklin with the words "Liberty" and "In God We Trust" above and below him. The year is inscribed just beside his head. On the reverse is a picture of the Liberty Bell, based on Lewis's work. An eagle also features beside the bell, believed to be an afterthought due to legislation requiring the bird to be placed on all U.S. currency. The coin is also 90 percent silver with a reeded edge and the mint mark "S" appears below the words "United States of America" and above the bell's yoke, on the reverse. For some reason, 1953 coins had weak details, so a version with full bell lines, particularly from the San Francisco mint, is quite rare.
1953-S Franklin half dollar value and mintage
The 1953-S half dollar has a mintage of just over 4 million and it is worth under $50 in a good uncirculated state. It has auctioned for up to $7,500 in gem condition.
