1963 Franklin Half Dollar

1963 Franklin Half Dollar — 90% Silver, Final Year of the Series

The 1963 Franklin Half Dollar carries a distinction that no other date in the series can claim: it is the last year the Franklin Half Dollar was struck, making it the natural capstone of one of America’s most elegantly designed silver coin series. Minted in 90% silver just one year before the Kennedy Half Dollar replaced it, the 1963 is a must-have for Franklin series collectors and 90% silver enthusiasts alike.

Coin Specifications

• Year: 1963
• Mint Mark: Philadelphia (no mint mark) or Denver (D)
• Designer: John R. Sinnock
• Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
• Silver Content: 0.3617 troy oz per coin
• Weight: 12.50 grams
• Diameter: 30.6 mm
• Philadelphia Mintage: 22,164,000
• Denver Mintage: 67,069,292

Real Silver Value

Each 1963 Franklin Half Dollar contains 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver, giving it meaningful precious metal value tied directly to the silver spot price. At nearly two-fifths of a troy ounce per coin, the Franklin Half Dollar is one of the most silver-rich 90% coins in the American series — popular with both collectors and silver stackers.

The Last Franklin — A Series Finale

The Franklin Half Dollar was struck from 1948 through 1963, a 16-year run that ended abruptly following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. Congress quickly authorized the Kennedy Half Dollar for 1964, and the Franklin series came to a close. As a result, the 1963 carries the sentimental and numismatic weight of a final-year issue — the last Franklin ever struck for circulation.

John Sinnock’s Classic Design

Designed by Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock, the obverse features a distinguished portrait of Benjamin Franklin — statesman, inventor, and Founding Father. The reverse displays the Liberty Bell, an enduring symbol of American freedom, accompanied by a small eagle required by law for half dollar coinage of the era. The combination of Franklin’s legacy and the Liberty Bell’s symbolism makes this one of the most thematically rich designs in American numismatic history.

The last of its kind — own the 1963 Franklin Half Dollar, a 90% silver final-year classic with lasting collector and investment appeal.