Grading the Franklin Half Dollar
The Franklin half (1948–1963) is a 90% silver coin with Ben Franklin and the Liberty Bell. The big premium is 'Full Bell Lines' (FBL), coins showing the complete horizontal lines across the bottom of the bell. The standout rarity is the 1953-S, which almost never comes fully struck with FBL.
At a glance
| Years | 1948–1963 |
|---|---|
| Designer | John R. Sinnock |
| Denomination | Half Dollars |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper; single composition for the whole series. |
| Diameter | 30.6 mm |
| Weight | 12.50 g |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Mints | Philadelphia (no mintmark), Denver (D), San Francisco (S) |
Major subtypes
| Subtype | Years |
|---|---|
| Sharper early hub | 1948–1951 |
| Worn-hub period (softer hair detail) | 1952–1959 |
| New lower-relief hub | 1960–1963 |
| Proofs | 1950–1963 (Philadelphia) |
Where wear shows first
- Franklin's cheek (large open high point)
- Hair around the ear and temple
- Upper bell and the bell's lower lines (reverse)
Other points to check
- Franklin's shoulder/coat
- The bell's yoke and crown
- The small eagle on the reverse
Common weak-strike areas
- The horizontal lines on the lower Liberty Bell (complete = Full Bell Lines)
- San Francisco coins (except 1949-S) are typically soft / from worn dies; Denver is the most consistently sharp
- Franklin's hair detail in the 1952–1959 worn-hub period
Strike designations
Full Bell Lines (FBL): PCGS awards it only to MS60+ coins with full, unbroken LOWER Liberty Bell lines, withholding it when marks, weak strike, or planchet defects break the line continuity (a few light marks are tolerated if continuity is intact). NGC's standard covers more of the bell: it requires both the top and bottom sets of bell lines to be complete and uninterrupted for its FBL designation.
Grading circulated coins
Cheek and hair show wear first; check the bell's lettering and lines for flattening. The lower bell lines are usually incomplete even on circulated coins, so Full Bell Lines is a Mint-State-only consideration. At EF–AU look for light high-point wear on the cheek and bell with most luster intact.
Grading Mint State coins
The large open cheek is the prime focal area, bag marks and chatter there cap the grade, and luster breaks show first on the cheek. The FBL designation is the central value driver.
Proof grading
Proofs 1950–1963 (Philadelphia). Cameo (CAM) and Deep/Ultra Cameo (DCAM) matter greatly; early-1950s cameos are scarce. Watch for artificially frosted fake cameos.
Key dates
- 1953-S (FBL key of the series, very few full-strike examples)
- 1949-S
- 1948, 1949-D, 1955 ('Bugs Bunny' year)
Semi-key dates
- FBL-scarce dates: 1952-S, 1953-S, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 (low Full-Bell-Lines populations)
Major varieties
- 1955 'Bugs Bunny' (die clash gives Franklin protruding 'teeth')
- 1952 'Scarface' and 1952-D 'Booger' (die-gouge/clash)
- Various RPMs/DDOs
Common problems
- Soft strikes (especially S-mint) mistaken for wear
- Tooled/altered bell lines on 1953-S
- Cheek bag marks
- Artificial proof cameos
Signs of cleaning or damage
- Hairlines and unnatural brightness on the open cheek and fields
- Tooling marks within the bell lines (FBL alteration)
Toning
Franklins tone attractively; rich, original album/rainbow toning is prized and can add a strong premium at high grade.
Counterfeit & alteration risks
- Tooled/altered bell lines on genuine 1953-S coins to fake the high-premium FBL designation
- Artificially frosted 'Cameo' proofs
For the advanced grader
FBL is a Mint-State-only strike designation requiring unbroken bell lines (PCGS judges the lower set only; NGC requires both the upper and lower sets). PCGS tolerates light marks if line continuity is intact, and S-mint coins (except 1949-S) rarely qualify. Grade the obverse off the large open cheek where marks and luster breaks register. Beware mechanically tooled bell lines (notably on 1953-S) and artificially frosted 'cameo' proofs.
Photographic examples
Click any image to enlarge and zoom. Where shown, obverse, reverse, and edge views are of the same coin and year.
Same coin: 1950-D Franklin half dollar (Full Bell Lines)
Sources: Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) · Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) · Coin World
Evidence pages
Related terms
Weak Strike · Contact Marks · Cameo (CAM / CA) · Deep Cameo / Ultra Cameo (DCAM / UC) · Altered Surfaces · Toning