Numismatic

1948 Franklin Half Dollar MS-64 PCGS (FBL)

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Struck in the post-war era of 1948, this United States fifty-cent piece represents the inaugural year of a classic American design series. Crafted from 0.3575 troy ounces of silver with a purity of 90 percent, the coin was minted in Philadelphia and bears no mint mark. This particular specimen has achieved a certified grade of Mint State 64 (MS-64) and is distinguished by the highly sought-after Full Bell Lines designation, indicating an exceptional level of detail survived the striking process. The obverse of the coin displays a right-facing portrait of the statesman Benjamin Franklin. Surrounding his profile are the traditional inscriptions of LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST, alongside the 1948 date. This design was created by John R. Sinnock, capturing a dignified likeness of one of America's most famous founding figures. On the reverse, the iconic Liberty Bell takes center stage, complete with its famous crack and wooden yoke. To the right of the bell, a small eagle with outspread wings balances the composition. The reverse features the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the denomination of HALF DOLLAR, and the classic Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. For observers and researchers, the presence of fully defined horizontal lines on the lower portion of the bell makes this specific certified coin an extraordinary example of mid-twentieth-century American numismatic art.