Editing Franklin half dollar (section)

{{short description|US American coin}}
{{Infobox coin
| Country             = United States
| Denomination        = Franklin half dollar
| Value               = 50 cents (0.50
| Unit                = [[United States dollar|US dollars]])
| Mass                = 12.50{{sfn|''Coin World'', Franklin half dollar}}
| Diameter            = 30.61{{sfn|''Coin World'', Franklin half dollar}}
| Thickness           = 1.8 
| Silver_troy_oz      = 0.36169{{sfn|''Coin World'', Franklin half dollar}}
| Diameter_inch       = 1.21{{sfn|''Coin World'', Franklin half dollar}}
| Edge                = [[reeding|reeded]]{{sfn|''Coin World'', Franklin half dollar}}
| Composition =
  {{plainlist |
* 90% [[Silver|Ag]]
* 10% [[Copper|Cu]]{{sfn|''Coin World'', Franklin half dollar}}
  }}
| Years of Minting    = 1948–1963{{sfn|''Coin World'', Franklin half dollar}}
| Mint marks = [[Denver Mint|D]], [[San Francisco Mint|S]]  on reverse, above yoke of bell and below letter E in STATES.  [[Philadelphia Mint]] coins struck without mint mark.
| Obverse             = Franklin Half 1963 D Obverse.png
| Obverse Design      = [[Benjamin Franklin]]
| Obverse Designer    = [[John R. Sinnock]]
| Obverse Design Date = 1948
| Reverse             = Franklin Half 1963 D Reverse.png
| Reverse Design      = [[Liberty Bell]]
| Reverse Designer    = Sinnock with participation by [[Gilroy Roberts]]
| Reverse Design Date = 1948
}}

The '''Franklin half dollar''' is a [[United States coinage|coin]] that was [[Coining (mint)|struck]] by the [[United States Mint]] from 1948 to 1963.  The [[Half dollar (United States coin)|fifty-cent piece]] pictures [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Father]] [[Benjamin Franklin]] on the [[obverse and reverse|obverse]] and the [[Liberty Bell]] on the reverse.  A small [[Eagle (heraldry)|eagle]] was placed to the right of the bell to fulfill the legal requirement that half dollars depict the figure of an eagle.  Produced in 90&nbsp;percent silver with a [[reeding|reeded edge]], the coin was struck at the [[Philadelphia Mint|Philadelphia]], [[Denver Mint|Denver]], and [[San Francisco Mint|San Francisco]] [[Mint (facility)|mints]].

Mint director [[Nellie Tayloe Ross]] had long admired Franklin, and wanted him to be depicted on a coin.  In 1947, she instructed her chief engraver, [[John R. Sinnock]], to prepare designs for a Franklin half dollar. Sinnock's designs were based on his earlier work, but he died before their completion. The designs were completed by Sinnock's successor, [[Gilroy Roberts]].  The Mint submitted the new designs to the [[Commission of Fine Arts]] ("Commission") for its advisory opinion. The Commission disliked the small eagle and felt that depicting the crack in the Liberty Bell would expose the coinage to jokes and ridicule.  Despite the Commission's disapproval, the Mint proceeded with Sinnock's designs.

After the coins were released in April 1948, the Mint received accusations that Sinnock's initials "JRS" on the cutoff at Franklin's shoulder were a tribute to Soviet dictator [[Joseph Stalin]] (Stalin did not have a middle  name that began with an 'R').  No change was made, with the Mint responding that the letters were simply the artist's initials (The same accusation was made after the release of the Sinnock designed [[Roosevelt Dime]] in 1946).  The coin was struck regularly until 1963. Beginning in 1964 it was replaced by the [[Kennedy half dollar]], issued in honor of the [[Assassination of John F. Kennedy|assassinated]] President [[John F. Kennedy]].  Though the coin is still [[legal tender]], its value to collectors or as silver (bullion value) both greatly exceed its face value.