Who are the Franklin half fans?

Aspie_Rocco

I was wondering who all here is a collector of the Ben halves. I’ve been dabbling a little with them over the years and beginning to look closely at the varieties. My impression is the Franklin Variety market is kind of less than stellar, am I mistaken?
The bugs bunny clash years are pretty neat but is there much interest ?

Timbuk3

Sorry, not me !!!

Twobitcollector

I have a raw BU set. Then I notice I have this one. To my surprise.

CCGGG

I've always liked them since I can remember getting them in change when I was a kid. It's one of the few coins I collect that are raw. I'd estimate that the coins in my complete set are all at least MS 65 to 67+. Someday I may send them in for grading but for now I'm happy with them in a Dansco album.

It's a very easy and inexpensive set to complete in higher grades (IMO).

ricko

I do have an album set. They are nice, silver coins and remind me of the days when we had real coins.....
Cheers, RickO

DrBuster

I like them by the roll.

TwoSides2aCoin

I like 'em. From basal to pristine.

BackroadJunkie

My pocket piece is a Franklin. Straight out of a proof set. I've been carrying it for over a couple decades now.

It's my NBL Franklin. (No bell lines.) I need to reimage it. This image is from 6 years ago...

privatecoin

I have had an album set for a long time. I've just recently started my graded set of Franklin's while some prices are down.

jafo50

I have a full set that are all raw and circulated. They don't seem to be a very popular series in my opinion.

Joe

georgiacop50

Love 'em. Especially the varieties.

Peace_dollar88

I have a complete Dansco in BU. this is the only graded Franklin I have. I do like them!

KollectorKing

asheland

I have one in a Doily and it's nice! But I don't really collect them.

ChrisH821

I like them, have an attractive Dansco set and many nice proof examples. Still needing a 50, 51 and 52 though

SanctionII

I like Franklins as coins to collect on a modest budget. I had an MS set of raw Franklins that I gave to my son in July as a gift for his 25th birthday. I also collect raw Cameo proof Franklins. If you look hard enough and long enough you can find very eye appealing Cameos Franklins for very modest prices.

shorecoll

I like them but don't collect. My impression is you can buy and sell them back and forth at exactly the same prices for decades (except for super-grades). Varieties are collected, but I don't know the premiums.

WingedLiberty1957

Moldnut

I’m a fan of them in tightly wrapped rolls marked 90%

Walkerfan

I've always liked them and they tone up very nicely!

zrlevin

I don't collect them by date, but I do have this modestly toned proof that I really like. NGC PF66 CAC in an old no-line fatty.

CommemKing

Not much of a fan anymore but here's a nice Bugs Bunny for your pleasure:

78saen

I don't collect them but I do have a couple.

Intueor

According to the Variety Vista Web site, “This series is moderate encompassing 309 listed die marriages in the CONECA Variety Files….includes 119 DDOs, 117 DDRs, 28 RPMs, and 7 REDs…..” One can only speculate on the treasures both identified and yet to be discovered in this very affordable series. The base Franklin series incorporates only 49 large silver coins with 14 Proofs and 35 circulation strikes. The design is Spartan by today’s standards with relatively few devices, large fields, and premodern minting methods. While “extraordinary” specimens go for moon money, the careful collector can cobble together a respectable PR65 & MS 65 slabbed set for ~ $2,000.00. Many slabbed and raw specimens that are not MS-FBL or Proof Cameo can be purchased for $35.00 or less. Do to the contrarian niche and lack of knowledge of Franklins, many of the varieties are unattributed on raw or older slabs and can be acquired at little or no premium. Misattributed or unattributed Franklin varieties can be found in every major coin inventory or grading service site. While most are of nominal value to a general collector, Franklin specialists snap up some nice varieties at “regular” prices.

The series also has many challenges. Try to find all the varieties for one year like 1948, 1951, 1956, 1959, or 1963. This is much more difficult than one would assume. Strike variation sometimes mutes a variety that can be identified by markers but washes out the fine detail of the anomaly. There are obverse varieties and die marriages where the identifiable reverse Working Die span two different years. The series has countless other error specimens such as the wrong planchet, struck through, and collar issues, etc. The Franklin production years of 1948-1963 are few but the rewards, to a true collector, are infinite.

One of my favorites is the 1951-D DDR-001 is an interesting variety. It is not commonly collected and is rare to find. Few specimens have been imaged. All 1951-D DDR-001 Franklins are rare (R)everse of 1949 over R49 and is a transitional reverse. The 1949 reverse is sometimes referred to a “Type 1a”. The doubling on the Eagle is unusually detailed on the left, right, and bottom feathers. The die scratches between the “LA” of DOLLAR are the distinctive “tell” for this elusive variety.

JeffersonFrog

I like 'em. For a Jeff connoisseur as yourself, the parallels between Jeffs and Franklins seem obvious: affordable, wild toners, full bell/step, similar modern crap time span, under-appreciated, the two greatest founding father-geeks on the obverses, varieties, etc. What's not to like?

koynekwest

I have a date set of color coins-

foodude

Aspie_Rocco

My only slabbed Bens, and a garden fresh raw 1962 Misplaced D

BJandTundra

Have a complete date/mint set assembled from circulation in a Dansco. Always enjoyed searching the larger coins and nothing worse than XF.

Walkerfan

1949 S mint state 65:

rte592

I'd take a nice Walker over a nice Franklin, but at close to spot I pick them up if the pickings are thin.
I did buy a guy a MS 64 1959 for a secret Santa as he was born that year.

Hydrant

I started a Franklin date set earlier this year. All mint state and a couple of sliders so far.
No proofs. Never had any interest in them but hey, why not? I buy them encapsulated and crack them and I buy them raw. It's all fun. I only need two more to complete the set. The 1950 and the 1962. No big deal. Easiest set ever. And CHEAP. They will look good in the Dansco. Big thing about the set is this......No, No toning. I got the idea from Ricko. NO TONING. NO TARNISH. They all look really good. Thanks, Ricko!

lkeigwin

I don't collect them. But I remember them fondly from my youth. So I have some I like. Here are two.
Lance.

rln_14

I have a dansco album going, uncirculated franklins, bought with no toning, a few of them are now getting a touch of album toning tho

Hydrant

Nice '54.

cucamongacoin

One recollection I have dates back to around 1958, I was 6 or so. My dad sent me to the corner store for a loaf of bread ( I think) which was less than 50 cents, and gave me a dollar ( silver cert) to make the purchase. I had the bright idea to stick the Franklin half I received in change in my shirt pocket, and claim that I lost it. Well, we retraced my route, a half block or so, and my dad then retrieved the half from my pocket. I don't recall what the punishment was, but I always wonder what date the half might have been.

SkyMan

Only a fool would collect Franklins. I guess you know what that makes me...

Aspie_Rocco

@SkyMan said:
Only a fool would collect Franklins. I guess you know what that makes me...

A wise man, judging by your avatar.

Twobitcollector

One of my favorite Franklin

bugbit

I started as just a silver stacker. Bought "junk" every week. Franklin was the 1st coin that caught my eye enough to start sorting them by date and quality and trying to complete a year set. It was the liberty bell on the reverse that I liked so much. Just stood out from all my other halves. I still haven't graduated to graded Franklins but it's on my to do list for sure.

BG

I only have three for my Registry Sets. Here is my PR-67:

tyler267

I have some, but I can't afford anymore since they started selling for 130,000 each.

All kidding aside I like them when they have clean surfacee, good strike, and flashy luster. But they can be hard to find.

CCGGG

Here's my raw Franklins. Probably less than 1k invested.

NVU

Only one I have for my type set. Also, it's a plate coin in Rick Tomaska's Half Dollars book

Walkerfan

@SkyMan said:
Only a fool would collect Franklins. I guess you know what that makes me...

Your collection of Franklins is one of the best that I've ever seen. Each individually eye appealing. You wisely put it together, when the coins were still available and affordable. I believe that your set is worth a lot of money today.

QCCoinGuy

I don't collect them, but the high-end proofs in Deep Cameo are impressive. Collectors are definitely out there, considering the prices they have realized in the last few years.

Aspie_Rocco

Got my first bugs bunny today, wth the vampire look in time for Halloween

georgiacop50

@78saen said:

Anyone else notice the remarkable similarity between this one and the $100,000 plus example?

FranklinHalfAddict

Franklin’s are the #1 series I collect.

LukeMarshall

I like the one in my avatar
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Aspie_Rocco

I think I am getting into these, officially now. I doubt a registry set, but random PCGS examples and a variety only dansco. I have become very interested in the Bugs bunny varieties, as all varieties are generally appealing to me. Especially with the attribution labels.