Certified Franklin Half Dollar 1953-S MS65 PCGS

The San Francisco Mint only produced 4.1 million Franklins in 1953, resulting in a high demand among collectors. Compared to the ridiculously high mintages of other years, the 1953-S Franklin is considered more difficult to find in a higher grade, such as MS65. Similar to other coins from this era, the majority of the BU Franklin Half Dollars were stored in canvas bags, resulting in beautiful coins with scratches. These scratches are what affects which grade a coin will receive and MS65 is on the higher end of that grading spectrum. The Certified Franklin Half Dollar 1953-S MS65 PCGS has received that honorable grade, by PCGS, a highly reputable grading agency in the US. PCGS has conveniently protected the precious grade by preserving it in an official certified holder.

The Franklin Half Dollar was minted from 1948-1963, with pretty heft mintages each year. Although Franklin himself despised portraits on US coins, the Mint Director promised he was only referring to royalty portraits and he would be honored to be featured on the coin. Franklin has been quoted saying he would rather a proverb be featured so collectors can have something to ponder while holding the coin. Along with disagreeing with portraits on coins, Franklin also disagreed with the Bald Eagle being the national bird. He claimed among numismatist lore, that the eagle was only viewed as a scavenger. Being the logical man he was, Franklin offered the wild turkey to stand as the nation's brave bird. Obviously, he didn't get too far with that idea and the eagle accompanies the Liberty Bell on the reverse of every Franklin Half Dollar. Benjamin Franklin, distinctly recognizable, is featured prominently on the obverse, with the coin's date of mintage also present.