Approximately 500 million Franklin half dollars were minted during a 16 year run in the middle of the 20th century. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Franklin half dollars were discontinued, so that a half dollar honoring Kennedy could be minted in its place. Although the Franklin half dollar saw a modest run, unusual rarities and collector proof sets proliferated. The two most critical mints for Franklin half collectors are 1950-D and 1949-D. Other pieces to look for include the 1960-D, and the 1961 and 1962 coins minted in Philadelphia and Denver. The best mint grades of Franklin half dollars may be worth more than their bouillon value. Look for particularly defined features on the reverse, at the bottom of the Liberty Bell. All told, there are over 35 different strikes of the coin and more than a dozen proof sets. Look out for scratches or hairlines near Franklin's shoulder, cheek, and hair. On the reverse side, the Liberty Bell tends to wear first. The coin is 90 percent silver, 10 percent copper, and its diameter is just a little bit above 30 mm. It weighs 12.5 grams and contains a little more than a third of an ounce of pure silver. The production of the Franklin half dollar remained steady throughout its minting. However, in 1963, the Denver mint pounded out almost 70 million of these coins, perhaps in anticipation of the soon-to-be-released Kennedy half dollar. One of the reasons why Franklin half mint sets are popular is that these coins are easy to cull from circulation. In addition, many proof coins remain in circulation. | 
