Franklin Half Dollar

Franklin is just about the cheapest series of old silver coins you can complete. Being that you have a limited budget it's a good set to go for. You liking the design too is a bonus. I say go for it

My only thing is that I like a set with a key date and the Franklin doesn't really have that...

I hear you on that. I could really care less about franklins personally due to the lack of keys and overall low value. Theyre like the nickles of the silver world.

Heres an idea. You can use a variety as a key date like one with a strong "bugs bunny" clash ?

I also have to second Jbuck's motion for an ike set. It would be much more rewarding to put together imho

I like the Franklin becausehe is the only was-living person on a US circulation coin that was not a president, just as the founding fathers wanted "no kings of the realm on coins"

I would say they are already scare. I only have 2 in as many boxes of halves I have search I only find 40% silver, never a 90%. The only way I have 2 is someone paid one time with one while I was running the cash register, and another person sold me a set of coins "The Liberty Collection" that includes Franklin half, /indian Penny, Mercury dime, Standing Liberty quarter, and Liberty nickel when they needed $5 worth of gas to make it home. I fear many are getting melted in current years when found by CRHs and others then sold for melt. With jewelry stores near me and on TV claiming to buy old silver and gold, I am sure they too are melting down coins often to get the metals for cheaper than normal methods.

I hope one day to find them, and if you don't survive on collecting from CRH only, or live in the area some of the CRHers get halves boxes from, you should be able to complete the set. the user arby could probably sell you a set, cause I think he has the most luck finding those things, and Mally has a very nice coin board you could display them in. Sounds like an ad for CCF, come on and join, the users have every coin need you could want or are able to tell you where to find it if they dont have it.

Also the Franklin has a cleaner design than most newer coins that seem crowded with the stuff on them like State Quarters, and any circulating coin that tries to get too fancy in an attempt for the design to have a meaning. Liberty bells design just rings home the idea of freedom.

You could always use FBL's as a key dates.
Some of those are quite scarce.

I'd say go for it. I've been eyeing a ms65 fbl collection but some are too pricey for me so I may have to lower grade on the more rare ones. I have noticed a lot of franklins tone horribly though, not sure why.

OP, you didn't mention what grade of the Franklins you would like to put together. A nice circulated (VF-35 TO AU-50 ) set should fit your budget.
Same thing for Roosevelt dimes.

For a challenge that is tough but not over the top, try the Franklin proofs in 65CAM. Basically just 14 coins, but the full set is an eye-popper!