The silver Franklin half dollar bears the image of Benjamin Franklin (hence the name) on the obverse side, with the Liberty Bell appearing on the reverse. Approximately 309.4 million Benjamin Franklin half dollars were produced by the U.S. mint between 1948 and 1963.

Like other silver coins of the era, silver Franklin half dollars contain 90% silver. A junk silver bag of Franklin half dollars typically consists of $1000 in face value, or 2000 coins. It will weigh in at about 55 pounds, containing about 718-720 ounces of silver. These coins are popular among junk silver investors who want to have fewer coins to manage, as the coins are larger have more silver per coin. Many junk silver dealers charge premiums for half dollars, however, making the Silver Washington Quarter a potentially good compromise for investor looking to pay the absolute smallest premium over the melt value of the coins. Still, junk silver Franklin halves are still relatively widely available, and bargains can be found.

Another advantage of these coins is they were only ever minted in 90% silver, so if you see the Franklin Half Dollar design, you can be confident you are getting a 90% silver coin without having to verify the date. This is especially useful if the date has been rubbed down to the point of being illegible, a relatively common occurrence for heavily circulated coins.

As with other junk silver coins, Ebay is most often the best place to acquire circulated Franklin Half Dollars for their silver value, especially in smaller quantities.

Junk Silver Franklin Half Dollars on Ebay:

Junk silver lot 10 Franklin halves 1950s60s FV$500

4 Bids

US $73.40

4h 58m

1 roll of Ben Franklin Halves 90 coin silver junk $10

US $189.99

23d 3h 58m