A sixteen year series with no rare dates, which makes almost every circulated Franklin half a bullion coin and every fully struck uncirculated one something else entirely.
Silver spot
$53.44 a troy ounce.
Spot price as of 10 November 2026.
Each coin is 12.5 g at 900 fine,
a US Mint specification.
This is metal value only. Most coins are worth more than their metal to a collector,
and some are worth very much more, so check the date and mint mark before selling
anything here for its melt value.
What one Franklin half is worth in silver
One Franklin half contains 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver, from a coin
weighing 12.5 grams at 900 parts per thousand. At the
current benchmark that metal is worth
$19.33.
The benchmark behind it was set on
, and every figure on this
page moves with it.
Melt value by quantity, at the current benchmark.
How many
Face value
Pure silver
Melt value
1
$0.50
0.3617 ozt
$19.33
10
$5.00
3.6170 ozt
$193.30
20
$10.00
7.2339 ozt
$386.60
50
$25.00
18.08 ozt
$966.51
100
$50.00
36.17 ozt
$1,933
What the coin is
The Franklin half was struck from 1948 to 1963 at 12.5 grams, 90% silver, holding 0.36170 troy ounces of pure silver. It is the same specification as the Walking Liberty half before it and the 1964 Kennedy half that ended the run, so a mixed bag of pre-1965 halves needs no sorting by type to price.
John R. Sinnock designed it, reusing the Liberty Bell reverse from his 1926 Sesquicentennial commemorative. The small eagle beside the bell is there only because law required an eagle on coins above the dime, and its awkward size has been a talking point since the day the coin appeared.
The series ran just sixteen years and was cut short by the decision to put Kennedy on the half dollar after the assassination. That short run is why collecting a complete set of thirty five coins is a realistic project, and why demand for the better strikes is stronger than the mintages alone would suggest.
Is it worth more than its metal?
There is no key date in the ordinary sense. The 1949-S and 1953 have the lowest mintages and carry modest premiums, but no Franklin half is scarce enough that a circulated example is worth much over its metal.
Full Bell Lines is where the money is. On a fully struck coin the horizontal lines across the bottom of the Liberty Bell are complete and unbroken, and most coins came out of the dies with them soft or missing. A certified uncirculated Franklin with Full Bell Lines can be worth many multiples of the same coin without the designation, and on scarcer dates the gap runs into thousands.
The 1955 Bugs Bunny variety, where a die clash left marks resembling buck teeth on Franklin’s face, is a recognised and popular variety with a real premium. It is the one thing worth checking a 1955 coin for.
Selling it
Circulated Franklins sell as junk silver by face value, mixed freely with Walking Liberty and 1964 Kennedy halves. There is nothing to gain from sorting them by date if they are worn.
Uncirculated coins are a different transaction entirely. If a Franklin still has full mint lustre and no wear on the high points, have it looked at for Full Bell Lines before it goes anywhere near a bullion buyer. That single designation is the difference between a coin worth its silver and a coin worth several hundred dollars.
0.36170 troy ounces, from 12.5 grams at 90% fineness. It is identical to the Walking Liberty half and the 1964 Kennedy half, so all three can be priced and sold together.
Are Franklin half dollars rare?+
No date in the series is genuinely scarce. The 1949-S and 1953 have the lowest mintages and carry small premiums. Value in this series comes from strike quality and grade rather than from rarity.
What are Full Bell Lines worth?+
A great deal on uncirculated coins. The horizontal lines at the base of the Liberty Bell are complete only on fully struck examples, and a certified Full Bell Lines coin can be worth many times the same date without it.
Why was the Franklin half discontinued?+
It was replaced in 1964 by the Kennedy half dollar following the assassination, which cut the series off after just sixteen years. That short run is part of why complete sets are popular with collectors.
Recommended Gold Testing & Smelting Equipment
Laboratory-grade scales, non-destructive electronic testers, and digital melting furnaces for accurate scrap valuation and refining.
Digital Electric Gold & Silver Melting Furnace (1kg to 3kg, 1150°C / 2100°F)
Commercial digital smelting furnace with high-density graphite crucible, insulated heating chamber, and heavy-duty crucible tongs. Heats up to 2100°F (1150°C) with precise digital PID temperature control to cleanly melt scrap gold jewelry, sterling silver, and brass into tradeable bullion bars in under 45 minutes.
Laboratory-grade electronic gold analyzer that instantly determines karat purity from 10K to 24K and verifies platinum without messy acid drops or destructive scratching. Rapid self-calibration ensures quick, reliable scrap valuation without damaging collectible jewelry.
0.001g High-Precision Analytical Milligram Jewelry Scale (50g x 0.001g)
Laboratory-grade analytical milligram balance measuring down to 0.001 grams, 0.005 carats, and 0.0001 troy ounces (ozt). Features a clear protective draft shield, tare function, and stainless steel calibration weights to catch fine weight fractions before smelting.
Multi-Cavity High-Density Graphite Ingot Mold for Bar Casting
Machined high-purity fine-grain graphite mold designed for pouring clean 1 oz, 2 oz, 5 oz, and 10 oz gold and silver bars. Delivers high thermal stability, rapid heat dissipation, and a smooth cavity finish for effortless ingot release.
Master Gold & Silver Chemical Acid Scratch Assay Kit with Touchstone & Loupe
Complete precious metal appraisal kit featuring 10K, 14K, 18K, and 22K gold testing acids, silver testing solution, a genuine dense testing touchstone, and an illuminated triplet jeweler loupe to distinguish solid karat gold from heavy plating.
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Compare essential equipment specifications for establishing an efficient scrap gold testing and melting workstation:
Equipment Type
Primary Purpose
Capacity / Accuracy
Key Advantage
Electric Smelting Furnace
Melting scrap jewelry, dental gold, and coins into bullion
1 kg to 3 kg crucible capacity
Clean flameless PID temperature control up to 2100°F
Electronic Karat Tester
Instant purity check on intact jewelry and high-end watches
10K to 24K gold and platinum ranges
Non-destructive testing with no acid stains or scratches
Analytical Milligram Scale
Precise scrap weight measurement before refining
50g capacity at 0.001g (0.0001 ozt)
Catches fine weight margins standard kitchen scales miss
Multi-Cavity Ingot Mold
Casting molten scrap metal into tradeable bullion bars
1 oz, 2 oz, 5 oz, 10 oz bar cavities
High-density graphite prevents sticking and oxidation
Acid Touchstone Assay Kit
Distinguishing solid karat alloy from heavy vermeil or plate
10K, 14K, 18K, 22K acid standards
Time-tested chemical confirmation for scrap buyers
Scrap Valuation Pro Tip: Melt Loss & Non-Destructive Testing
When melting scrap jewelry lots, expect an average 1% to 3% melt loss due to burn-off of non-precious solder joints, skin oils, and enamel. Before melting high-value items, verify karat content using a non-destructive electronic tester. Acid scratch testing can leave noticeable etch marks and may read false positive on heavy gold-filled or rolled gold plate items (such as 1/10 10K RGP or vermeil).
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