1953-S 50C, FBL MS65FBL Certification #50039928, PCGS #86666

Jaime Hernandez

The 1953-S Franklin Half Dollar with Full Bell Line characteristics is the key coin to the entire circulation strike Franklin Half Dollar series.

With a mintage of over 4 million coins, less than 50 examples are known with Full Bell Lines details for the 1953-S Franklin Half Dollar. The few examples that do display Full Bell Lines were probably struck very early at the Mint. This would explain why most 1953-S Franklin Half Dollars with Full Bell Lines characteristics are mostly encountered in MS65 condition or higher.

For some reason, in 1953 the San Francisco Mint struck nickels and half dollars with faint details. Mostly all 1953-S nickels and half dollars display very weak details on the highest points of the design on the reverse of the coin.

Even in low mint state grades, a 1953-S is very scarce and usually commands thousands of dollars in any Uncirculated grade, if it shows complete Full Bell Lines details.