1948 ceremonial Franklin Half Dollars. Has anyone ever seen one?

BillJones

Many years ago the ANA published a four volume set entitled “Selections from the Numismatist.” In the U.S. coin book, there was a reprint from an article that covered a banquet Mint Director, Nellie Ross, hosted which featured an unveiling of the Franklin Half Dollar. Each guest received one of the new coins with a card that marked the event.

Has anyone seen or heard of one of these cards? I haven’t. It’s hard to believe that not one has survived. Perhaps the card was so nondescript that it didn’t rate saving.

Treashunt

This is the first that I have heard of it.

thefinn

I have heard about them and saw a picture. I don't remember where or when, but I do remember seeing it.

tokenpro

A scarce Nellie Tayloe Ross as Mint Director medal by noted artist Paul Vincze. The striking of the first Franklin half may be pictured on the reverse.

CaptHenway

With the compliments of RWB, from his latest book, currently at the printers.

BuffaloIronTail

WOW. Talk about a real neat "first strike". coin.

ete

291fifth

This kind of thread is what makes this forum great!

JimW

That is cool - I wonder how many were distributed... a few hundred ??

keyman64

@CaptHenway said:
With the compliments of RWB, from his latest book, currently at the printers.

It is for reasons like this and a thousand more that RWB is missed around these parts.

Zoins

Very exciting!

Thanks for the post @BillJones and the photos @CaptHenway! Great material from Roger!

Zoins

@keyman64 said:

@CaptHenway said:
With the compliments of RWB, from his latest book, currently at the printers.

It is for reasons like this and a thousand more that RWB is missed around these parts.

I believe he's still posting ATS.

NumisOxide

Wow cool!

FlyingAl

@Zoins said:

@keyman64 said:

@CaptHenway said:
With the compliments of RWB, from his latest book, currently at the printers.

It is for reasons like this and a thousand more that RWB is missed around these parts.

I believe he's still posting ATS.

He is and participates almost every day.

joeykoins

Awesome thread!

I never really cared too much for History growing up.
It wasn't 'til I became a Numismatic,that sparked my interest.

Rampage

I wonder if these have any sort of special strike. It would be cool if they did and then discovered 70+ years after they were struck.

JBK

@joeykoins said:
Awesome thread!

I never really cared too much for History growing up.
It wasn't 'til I became a Numismatic,that sparked my interest.

I'm glad you've rediscovered History. Now if we can just get you back into Spelling class.

(Sorry, I couldn't resist. Probably just the fault of these ridiculous auto-corrects.)

MFeld

@Rampage said:
I wonder if these have any sort of special strike. It would be cool if they did and then discovered 70+ years after they were struck.

While the picture isn't very clear, based on what does show, the coin doesn't look special in terms of production.

ricko

Interesting, I was not aware of the special presentation dinner/ceremony. Sure do miss RWB here. Cheers, RickO

tcollects

@MFeld said:

@Rampage said:
I wonder if these have any sort of special strike. It would be cool if they did and then discovered 70+ years after they were struck.

While the picture isn't very clear, based on what does show, the coin doesn't look special in terms of production.

It's hard to tell, but Franklin's tail feathers are more defined on the ones in the cards

Oldhoopster

@ricko said:
Interesting, I was not aware of the special presentation dinner/ceremony. Sure do miss RWB here. Cheers, RickO

Yeah, RWB and other extremely knowledgeable numismatists/experts/researchers have been banned (yeah, I know its their own fault), only to be replaced by "quality" contributors like slick coins and newbies who refuse to look at the reference links and expect the forum to do all their research.

Sorry, just a little grouchy today

ricko

@Oldhoopster ... I agree, no need to apologize..... Cheers, RickO

CaptHenway

@Rampage said:
I wonder if these have any sort of special strike. It would be cool if they did and then discovered 70+ years after they were struck.

According to the source, they were just regular production coins out of a bag.

FlyingAl

@Rampage said:
I wonder if these have any sort of special strike. It would be cool if they did and then discovered 70+ years after they were struck.

An answer from RWB ATS: "The coins were not first strikes from new dies or anything special. They were pulled from a random bag from the Philadelphia Mint. The cards were signed and lettered in Washington, and the half dollars added in Philadelphia using the same cellophane envelopes common for proof coins in 1942."

Rampage

@FlyingAl and @CaptHenway Thank you for the information.
@FlyingAl Please tell RWB I said thank you for the detailed information. And, Thank you for posting it here, It is a really cool piece of history.

BJandTundra

@Zoins said:

@keyman64 said:

@CaptHenway said:
With the compliments of RWB, from his latest book, currently at the printers.

It is for reasons like this and a thousand more that RWB is missed around these parts.

I believe he's still posting ATS.

ATS?

keyman64

@BJandTundra said:

@Zoins said:

@keyman64 said:

@CaptHenway said:
With the compliments of RWB, from his latest book, currently at the printers.

It is for reasons like this and a thousand more that RWB is missed around these parts.

I believe he's still posting ATS.

ATS?

Across the Street.
Analogous to McDonald’s vs Burger King.

BJandTundra

@keyman64 said:

@BJandTundra said:

@Zoins said:

@keyman64 said:

@CaptHenway said:
With the compliments of RWB, from his latest book, currently at the printers.

It is for reasons like this and a thousand more that RWB is missed around these parts.

I believe he's still posting ATS.

ATS?

Across the Street.
Analogous to McDonald’s vs Burger King.

Don't have to hit me with a truck when I'm crossing that street. I get it.