Coin value · live melt price
Franklin Half Dollar Value & Melt Value Today
Every Franklin half dollar holds 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver. The series has few true rarities, so condition, especially Full Bell Lines, matters more than date.
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Melt value
$0.00
0 troy oz of pure silver
Metal value only, before any dealer spread. Scarce dates and high grades can be worth much more.
Value at today's silver price
| Amount | Pure silver | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 coin | 0.362 oz | — |
| Roll of 20 ($10 face) | 7.234 oz | — |
| $100 face value | 72.338 oz | — |
Figures assume full-weight coins. For worn 90% coins the usual rule of thumb is about 0.715 oz per $1 face, about 1% less.
Melt value is the floor
Melt value is what the metal in a coin is worth: its pure silver content times the spot price. A Franklin half dollar holds 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver, so at $60 an ounce its melt value is $21.70. The calculator above uses today's price instead.
That number is the floor. How close a common, worn Franklin half dollar sells to it depends on collector demand. A scarce date, a rare mint mark or a coin in high grade is priced as a collectible, starting from the floor and going up.
| Coin | Years | Metal | Weight | Pure silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin half | 1948–1963 | 90% silver, 10% copper | 12.50 g | 0.3617 oz |
Designed by Mint chief engraver John Sinnock, the Franklin half was struck from 1948 to 1963 and replaced by the Kennedy half after the president's death. The reverse shows the Liberty Bell; how completely its bottom lines are struck is what collectors pay for.
Is yours a valuable one? Check these first
Check the date, the mint mark and the condition against this list. If your coin matches a key date or variety, have it looked at by a dealer who handles collector coins before you sell it for melt.
- 1955: Lowest mintage in the series: 2,498,181. Look for the "Bugs Bunny" variety, where Franklin's front teeth seem to stick out past his lips.
- Full Bell Lines (FBL): The lines across the bottom of the Liberty Bell are complete. Only uncirculated coins (MS-60 and up) get the label, and it can raise value a lot.
- 1949-D and 1950-D: Common worn, scarce at MS-65 and above.
- 1961 proof, doubled die reverse: Strong doubling on E PLURIBUS UNUM. Rare and valuable.
Mintages and varieties from APMEX's Franklin half key dates guide. For current collector prices by grade, check the PCGS Price Guide or the NGC Price Guide. Prices for key dates change often and depend heavily on grade.
What dealers typically pay
Dealers price common silver coins off the silver spot price, so the melt figure above is the number to anchor on. Some shops quote per coin, others per $1 of face value. Before you accept, put the offer into the Coin Offer Checker: it shows the metal value and where the offer sits against typical dealer pay. For a key date or a high-grade coin, ask for an offer on the coin as a collectible, not as silver.
Not sure it's silver?
The Is My Coin Silver? checker takes the denomination and year and tells you the metal, the silver content and the melt value. Selling a mix of coins? The silver coin melt value calculator adds up several types at once, and the junk silver calculator works from face value.
Where to sell
Compare coin dealers near you: what each one buys, and what recent customers say about the offers they got. If this coin is part of a larger collection, read how to sell a coin collection first.
Value pages for other coins
Questions
How much silver is in a Franklin half dollar?
A Franklin half is 90% silver and holds 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver, the same as a Walking Liberty or 1964 Kennedy half.
Are Franklin half dollars rare?
Not as a rule. The 1955 has the lowest mintage at 2,498,181, and some dates are scarce only at MS-65 and above.
What does Full Bell Lines mean on a Franklin half?
The horizontal lines across the bottom of the Liberty Bell are full and unbroken. Graders give the FBL label only to uncirculated coins, and it can raise the value a lot.
Sources: APMEX, Franklin half key dates · CoinWeek, silver content of U.S. coins · MetalCharts junk silver guide · U.S. Mint coin specifications (current clad coins) · Coinage Act of 1965. Updated 2026-10-09.