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 Replies: 18 / Views: 2,467 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3077 Posts |
what are the key dates if there is one and besides the bugs bunny any other varities I need to look for?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1151 Posts |
This from US-Coin-Values-Advisor.com: "There really are not any true key date Franklin half dollars. All dates were coined in abundant quantities. However, numismatists have noted that well-struck Franklins displaying clear, full horizontal lines on the Liberty Bell are quite rare, especially for certain dates. As the years have gone by, there seems to be no let up in what collectors are willing to pay for extraordinary "FBL" examples, especially for these dates: 1953 S and 1963" |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3294 Posts |
The most difficult one I had with collecting the full set of circulated Franklin half dollars was the 1955, and I found it for $5, last year so there are not any true key dates. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
yotie, I will echo, no key dates ... just "key" condition. There's a significant price jump for FBL coins around the MS63/64 range and any FBL 53-S ... the king of the circulation strikes. When talking about Proof strikes, DCAMs get the nod. Find a 59 DCAM and in PF68 and you're sitting pretty. Also the 61 DDR Proof is hard to find and priced accordingly. Just considering date, the 49-S is about the only one that comes close to a key designation. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
581 Posts |
We'll need a few more cycles of silver going over $20/oz. before the number of Frankies vs. # of collectors will be small enough to merit keys or semi-keys.
However, as with almost any series, you'll find certain ones more difficult to buy at "fair" or "catalog" prices than others. The obvious one is the 1955. Nod - you're a lucky collector - $5 - Ha! Good luck on a typical day to get even close to that. Same would apply to the early dates in general.
The Franklin set is interesting because the mintages just really aren't that high. Ignoring a few years where 20-35 million per mint mark were minted, the average is 2.5 - 7 million a year per mint mark! That's really, really low for such n available collector coin!
Maybe someday the Franklin ship will come in!
Edited by Kabiye_Lady
07/07/2009 12:59 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
I am a fan of the 1949 P D and S myself in higher grades. Others in high grade would be the 1948 D 1950 1950 D and 1951 S. Any Franklin in Super high grade with well struck details and deep cameos are probably well worth hanging onto.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6381 Posts |
If I may digress a little, there are some dedicated Franklin half collectors willing to pay insane amounts of money for those top-pop, FBL dates, with that 1953-S being the most pricy. I remember a few years ago the PCGS highest-graded 1953-S half in MS-66 FBL sold for $69,000 on Heritage. I think the same coin later was sold for $34,000 or so. Apparently the first buyer took a massive loss. In this general price range you can buy rare date early gold, a high-relief St. Gaudens $20 in choice MS grade, world-class early copper, or any number of other exotic selections. Franklins are perfectly nice coins, but seriously!  |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3077 Posts |
full bell lines
if you have a bag mark across the lines does that stop it from being a FBL?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
Quote:
full bell lines
if you have a bag mark across the lines does that stop it from being a FBL? I think it would. Since we cannot guess what was there behind it. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
Jaobler, Because enquiring minds want to know ... Using your $20 high-relief St. Gaudens example, I did a PCGS pop report search to compare the relative rarity of a 53-S FBL Franklin and a high relief St Gaudens. Here's what I found ... 1907 St Gaudens (no separate mintage figures for high-relief) mintage 372,917. PCGS graded coins MS63 or higher 2786 or one of every 133 coins minted. It would higher if the high-relief mintage was known. 1953-S Franklin mintage 4,148,000. PCGS coins graded MS63 or higher FBL 36 or one of every 115,000. Of course that Saint is gold and absolutely stunning, whereas Ben is portly and boring. But he's much rarer than that h-r saint.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
Quote:
full bell lines
if you have a bag mark across the lines does that stop it from being a FBL? Not FBL. PCGS standard is complete, uninterrupted lines (3) at the bottom of the bell. NGC applies a higher standard and requires the upper set of bell lines to be complete and uninterrupted. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3077 Posts |
ok thanks for all the info
i am debating w/ my self if I want to try bens or mercs
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Pillar of the Community
United States
581 Posts |
As far as mercs vs. Frankies. Pocket book decides.
If money is a consideration and you're collecting G/VG/F type examples then Franklins will give more satisfaction. You can COMPLETE the set for $200 and change. And as long as the price of silver doesn't tank, you probably won't lose much.
Mercs are tougher. The "basic" set is simple - forget the 16D, the 21's and the 42 overstrikes and you can put it together for $100. But it's not a complete set. And as far as silver value, you'll typically pay more for the silver in a merc dime than you would for the same amount of silver in a Frankie. Size DOES matter.
In a Merc vs. Frankie debate, the key question is: "How important are empty holes to you?"
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Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
 My Franklin set is complete.  My Mercury set has three holes in it.  Enough said.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3077 Posts |
hello Ben |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
Quote:
i am debating w/ my self if I want to try bens or mercs Bigger coins are easier to admire when you get older.  I have my Franklin set as well in Mostly GEM BU. Some have FBL. Get the Franklins now and if a key date merc presents itself at a super deal pick it up when you can. Or you can make a short set of mercs too. |
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Replies: 18 / Views: 2,467 |
Posted 07/07/2009 12:30 pm
