1954 Franklin Half Dollar Value Guide

What Is the 1954 Franklin Half Dollar Made Of?

The Franklin half dollar is among the most historic coins in US history. It is a favorite item in the list of many coin enthusiasts and collectors because of its uniqueness and value.

The 1954 Franklin half-dollar is made of 90% silver and 10% copper. It has 0.36169 troy oz content. Aside from that, the half-dollar issued in 1954 has a value of 50 cents, a mass of 12.50 grams, a diameter of 30.61 mm, a thickness of 1.8 mm, and a reeded edge.

John Sinnock partly designed the Franklin half dollar. But unfortunately, he died before completing the design.

From there, his successor, Gilroy Roberts, completed the design. Finally, the Mint presented the newly designed half-dollar to the Commission of Fine Arts. The Commission didn’t like the design. Nevertheless, the US Mint used the design to produce the half dollar.

photo source: USA Coin Book

The obverse of the 1954 50-cent coin shows the image of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Inscriptions include Liberty, In God We Trust, and 1954.

On the reverse, you have the Liberty Bell, which symbolizes freedom, and the small eagle, which represents strength and endurance. Inscriptions include United States of America, E Pluribus Unum, and Half Dollar.

The original idea of having Benjamin Franklin on a US coin was conceptualized by the Mint director Nellie Tayloe Ross. She had a great admiration for Franklin. However, some historians noted that if Franklin were alive, he would humbly decline to have his image on a coin.

Franklin would also not like having his face associated with an eagle, a bird he didn’t like. He preferred the turkey instead.

Nevertheless, having Franklin, one of the nation’s greatest leaders, on one of the US coins is just a way to honor his contribution and undying love for the country.

1954 Franklin Half Dollar Varieties

There were more than 43 million half-dollar coins produced in 1954. Three mints worked hard to supply the needed amount of half-dollars to the American people.

The 1954 Franklin half-dollar coins come in four varieties. These are the 1954 D, 1954 P, 1954 Proof, and 1954 S. These coin varieties have almost identical overall appearances. What made them different from each other was their mint mark and, in the case of proof coins, their quality.

Apart from the standard-issued half-dollars, there are also those error coins that appear every once in a while. These error coins give rise to a different type of half dollar.

Here are the 1954 Franklin half-dollar varieties that you should know:

1954-D Franklin Half Dollar

photo source: PCGS

The 1954-D Franklin half dollar mintage is over 25 million, among the highest mintages in the Franklin half-dollar series. Circulated 1954-D is very common up to about MS65. However, once you reach MS66, you get a scarce supply. Additionally, Franklin half dollars with a Full Bell Lines rating is even more challenging to find.

Depending on its condition and rarity, the fifty-cent coin can be sold at a price ranging from  $0.50 to  $48.

1954-P Franklin Half Dollar

photo source: PCGS

In 1954, the Philadelphia Mint produced more than 13 million half-dollar coins. There are a lot of examples with a nice level of preservation that exists today. For the most part, you can easily find MS65 coins and below and buy them inexpensively.

However, 1954-P 50-cent coins, with at least an MS66 grade, would be more difficult to find and are also significantly pricey. Even 50 cents with MS67 condition are known to be so scarce that less than a dozen exist.

Price may start at $0.50 to $65.

1954-P Franklin Half Dollar (Proof)

photo source: PCGS

The Philadelphia Mint was the main Mint of the United States in 1954. Thus, at that time, the Mint also produced proof coins of the half dollar.

There was no high demand for the half dollar proof coins in 1954. Thus, only about 233 thousand 50-cent proof coins were issued. Today, because the supply is low and the demand for 50-cent proof coins is high, the price can start from fifty cents to $350.

1954-P Franklin Half Dollar (Proof)

photo source: PCGS

The San Francisco Mint contributed almost 5 million 1954 half dollar coins.is the main Mint of the United States in 1954.

It’s worth noting that 1954 was the final year for the San Francisco Mint to produce half-dollar coins. Because of this, the Mint was ready to retire, and some of its equipment wasn’t in good condition.

For example, the half-dollar die used was severely worn out already. This leads to extremely poor strikes for the 1954 half-dollar coins. As this might be the case, there are still 1954-S half-dollar coins that were preserved and are in good condition today. What’s rare would be the 1954-S with an FBL rating. Pricing can start at around $0.50 to $111.

1954 Franklin Half Dollar Errors

The 1954 Franklin half dollar isn’t known for errors. It was well-minted, but a few of these coins still come with an error. You can expect it when you’re producing thousands of these coins in one day.

Some 1954 half dollar coins have doubled die reverse or obverse errors. This happened when the die struck the planchet twice, leading to some of the engraved materials having a doubled appearance. DDO or DDR errors are not always prominent, but if they are, they can make the coin very expensive.

There are also some 50-cent coins in 1954 with planchet errors. This happens during the cutting and production of blank coins. Some coins are clipped or folded, while others are cut too thick or thin.

Sometimes, there’s a misalignment between the die and the planchet. Thus, the engraved materials are off-center when the die hits the planchet. Strikes can also be weak, making the coin look smudgy.

How Much Is 1954 Franklin Half Dollar Worth Today?

As its face value shows, the 1954 Franklin half dollar is worth 50 cents. However, since this coin is made of silver, you can expect its melt value to be much higher. The melt value is around $8.4854. The melt value can increase or decrease depending on the market value of silver.

A half-dollar’s face value and melt value are not the ultimate test of its worth. For example, some 1954 Franklin half-dollars are astronomically more valuable than their face value and melt value.

To give you an idea, you can check out this 1954 Franklin Half Dollar values chart:

As you can see, the 1954 half dollar is really valuable. To be convinced of its value, take a look at these auction records for each variety:

• $23,000 – 1954 50C, DCAM (Proof) with PR68 grade sold by Heritage Auctions in January 2008
• $21,275 – 1954-D 50C, FBL (Regular Strike) with MS67 grade sold by Heritage Auctions in July 2002
• $14,100 – 1954 50C, FBL (Regular Strike) with MS67FL grade sold by Stack’s Bowers in November 2016.
• $13,853 – 1954-S 50C, FBL (Regular Strike) with MS67FL grade sold by Heritage Auctions in August 2017

How Does The Grading System Work?

The Sheldon Scale is used by numismatists to provide a numerical value to coins. The Sheldon Scale goes from poor (P-1) to perfect mint state (P-1) (MS-70). Coins were originally evaluated using words to reflect their condition (Good, Fair, Excellent, Etc.). Unfortunately, coin collectors and dealers had different ideas about what each of these terms represent.

Professional numismatists joined together in the 1970s and established CoinGrading standards. These numismatists now assign grades at key places on the seventy-point scale, using the most regularly utilized numeric points in conjunction with the original adjective grade. The following are the most common coin grades:

1. 1. • (P-1) Poor – Indistinguishable and probably damaged; if used, must have a date and mintmark; otherwise, rather battered.
      • (FR-2) Fair – Nearly smooth, but without the damage that a coin graded Poor often possesses. The coin must have enough detail to be identified.
      • (G-4) Fair – Inscriptions have merged into the rims in some areas, and important elements have been mostly erased.
      • (VG-8) Very Good- A little weathered, but all of the primary design elements are visible, albeit faintly. There is little if any, central detail left.
      • (F-12) Good – The item is very worn, yet the wear is even, and the overall design details stand out clearly. Rims are almost completely isolated from the field.
      • (VF-20) Very Fine – Moderately weathered, with some finer features still visible. The motto or all letters of LIBERTY are readable. Both sides of the coin have entire rims that are separated from the field.
      • (EF-40) Extremely Fine – Gently used; all gadgets are visible, and the most important ones are bold. The finer details are bold and clear, however, light wear may be seen.
      • (AU-50) Uncirculated – Slight evidence of wear on the coin’s design’s high points; may have contact marks; eye appeal should be adequate.
      • (AU-58) Uncirculated Choice – Slight traces of wear, no severe contact marks, almost full mint shine, and great eye appeal.
      • (MS-60) Mint State Basal – Strictly uncirculated; no indication of wear on the coin’s highest points, but an unsightly coin with reduced luster, visible contact marks, hairlines, and other flaws.
      • (MS-63) Mint State Acceptable – Uncirculated, but with contact scratches and nicks, little reduced shine, but otherwise appealing appearance. The strike is weak to average.
      • (MS-65) Mint State Choice – Uncirculated with great mint shine, very little contact blemishes, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is unusually severe.
      • (MS-68) Mint State Premium Quality – Uncirculated with superb luster, no obvious contact marks to the naked eye, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is quick and appealing.
      • (MS-69) Almost Perfect Mint State – Uncirculated with perfect brilliance, a sharp and appealing strike, and extremely good eye appeal. A near-perfect coin with minor imperfections in the planchet, strike, and contact markings (seen only under 8x magnification).
      • (MS-70) Mint State Perfect – Under 8x magnification, there are no tiny imperfections discernible; the strike is crisp, and the coin is perfectly centered on a beautiful planchet. Rarely seen on a coin, this coin is bright and whole, with original luster and exceptional eye appeal.

Where To Buy Or Sell 1954 Franklin Half Dollar?

The 1954 Franklin half-dollar is available online. You can do a quick Google search and find many helpful results. Some websites you might want to try would be Amazon, eBay, Etsy, USA Coin Book, CoinTrackers, JM Bullion, and Grey Sheets, to name a few.

Aside from the Internet, you can try coin shops, antique stores, pawnshops, and auction houses.

FAQs

Where is the mint mark on a 1954 half dollar?

The mint mark on a 1954 half dollar coin is on the reverse side. Look for the mint mark on top of the Liberty Bell, just below the letter E in the word States. If present, you can find mint marks D and S.

How much is a 1954 S half dollar worth?

Circulated 1954 S half-dollar coins can be around $10 to $50. However, 1954 half-dollar coins in mint state or proof can reach hundreds and thousands of dollars.

Is there a rare 1954 Franklin half dollar?

The rare 1954 Franklin half dollar coins have the highest grade. 1954 50-cent coins in MS67 condition and above are rare since only a few exist today.