1958 Franklin Half Dollars Are Scarce Modern Collectibles

When many collectors consider what defines a so-called “modern United States coin,” generally pieces from the 1950s and 1960s qualify. And while most coins of the modern era are decidedly common, there are some that definitely rank among the tougher issues. And at least one of those hails from the 1958 run of Franklin Half Dollars, which were struck from 1948 through 1963.

Some years saw lower mintages as demand for half dollars ebbed and flowed. However, in 1958 the U.S. Mint struck fewer than 30 million half dollars across the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, as well as including the business-strike and proof iterations.

The Philadelphia Mint produced only 4 million circulation strikes and just 875,652 proofs while Denver managed a more robust 23,962,312 business strikes. All told, only 28,837,964 Franklin Half Dollars were made in 1958. For all intents and purposes, a collector can deem any of the 1958 Franklin Half Dollars common, with even the proof having been struck in numbers large enough for it to be easy to find in the context of proofs. In fact, a nice PR67 can be procured for about $65.

As for the business strikes, the 1958 Philadelphia issue is readily available up through grades of MS65, but in better condition – and especially with Full Bell Lines – it’s a truly rare coin. For comparison’s sake, a 1958 Franklin Half Dollars with no distinct bell details retails for about $400 in MS67, whereas an MS67FBL specimen trades for $1,850.

Similarly the Denver strike is common, with plentiful examples for sale up through the grade of MS66. Specimens become rare in MS67, with or without the FBL designation; a 1958-D in MS67 retails for around $450, yet an MS67FBL fetches a stunning $1,100!