Does a 1964 Franklin Half Dollar exist?

In Robert R. Van Ryzin's book Fascinating Facts, Mysteries & Myths About U.S. Coins, he asks "Does a 1964-dated Franklin half dollar exist?" Then adds, "The design was changed in that year in honor of the nation's fallen leader, John F. Kennedy. Despite denials by the Mint and the coin's engraver, John Sinnock, rumors persist that at least one specimen of the Franklin design escaped the Mint bearing the 1964 date".

I've never heard of a "1964 Franklin" or even the possibility of the existence of one. Now, I wouldn't doubt that one or more exist due to the fact that JFK's assassination occurred so late in 1963. Dies could have already been prepared for a 1964 Franklin and some may have even been struck before the law was passed creating the JFK Half Dollar.

Now, many people are aware that a 1964 Peace Dollar existed. Many of these were struck before they were subsequently (supposedly) destroyed. A 1964 Peace Dollar is a rarity indeed. But, a 1964 Franklin would be even rarer as the government has not acknowledged that any were even struck.

Of course, if a 1964 Franklin DOES exist, I'm sure it would be considered illegal to own. But, if any 1964 Franklins DO exist, I would think its rarity would be equal to or even rarer than the 1913 Liberty Nickel.

I just found it curious that I had never heard of a 1964 Franklin being struck even though the possibility is not that extreme.

 

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I read that book as well and that is one of the few places I have ever heard about the possibility of a 1964 Franklin. Probably safe to say that rumors will always exist during a coin transition year (end of a series/start of a new one). This specific one is most interesting due to the unexpected (and tragic) nature of the transition. TC

 

I've heard the rumor before and it is possible that they may have already been making 1964 Franklin dies by then. However after the assasination it was completely clear that the Kennedy half would be approved and would be the half dollar coin in 1964 and that there was no chance there would be a 1964 Franklin so the dies would have been destroyed immediately. I can't say for sure but I don't believe the Mint was in the habit of striking up a stockpile of the coming years coins yet. So no I do not believe that a 64 Franklin exists.

 

I vote no, as well.

 

There are a few things about that question. For one, if one ever did exist, people are now looking around for them since not to many mentioned this before but once started in a coversation, popularity grows. Sometimes people just put a coin in an Album, folder or jar without really seeing what it is.
Another thing is that if anyone in China is reading these posts, you can bet within a few weeks or months those coins will be poping up all over the place.

 

Would have to add a no here as well!!

 

Good call, Carl! Because I personally believe that if you ever see one, China is responsible, not the US Mint.

A 1964 Franklin would likely not have been coined because by the time the coining would have begun, the Kennedy legislation had already been passed. The national mood was very serious about their fallen leader and I don't believe that anyone would have clandestinely struck and 64 Franklins due to the circumstances. The 1964-D Peace Dollar, on the other hand, was an authorized strike, but melted before release.

316,076 to be exact, but few are aware that they were not struck in 1964, but in May, 1965.

 

There were more than 300,000 1964 Peace Dollars stuck before Congress intervened. They were stuck to pacify Las Vegas Casinos but cost more to strick than the Dollar they were worth. That ended the Silver Dollar Slot Machines. Rumor has it that they were not all destoyed.

 

John Sinnock was dead.

John Sinnock died in 1947 before the Franklin half was completed, so he wouldn't know if there were any 1964 Franklin halves struck. The author probably means Gilroy Roberts, who was the chief engraver of the mint, and the man that finished the Franklin half design.

 

I think in less than 5 years a 1964 Franklin half will appear, probably from Daniel Carr.

 

That would be a great addition to my 1964 Fantasy set.:devil:

 

i think you are on to something there!
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Micheal, would the US Mint have kept some type of production records as they did with the Peace Dollars? I'm thinking yes since some type of memo would have to have been circulated "halting" the production and/or design process or even the die manufacturing.

I personally think this is wishful "what-if" thinking on the author's (of the book) part.

As for the "stockpile of coins", that occurance has only been in recent years and while there was a perceived coin shortage in 1963-1964, I don't think mint employees would have taken it upon themselves to churn these out before the end of the current production year. Die's perhaps but not coins.

 

I don;t think so since Casino's contracted out to have their own "Dollar Tokens" made up to fill their needs.

Additionally, the Eisenhower Dollar was used quite frequentlt in slot machines since one of the reason they minted so many in 1971 and 1972 was to satisfy Casino needs. Not more than a year ago, I actually played a "dollar slot" machine in Reno Nevada.

 

You do realize Sinnock died in 1947 or 48?

With that in mind, how would he know what happened in 1964?

 

I would imagine there are probably some records that could tell us a few things if we could find them. The first two questions are "At that time when did they start producing dies for the coming years coins?", and "Did they typically begin striking the upcoming years coins during the previous year and if so when did they typically begin doing so?". If they didn't make the next years dies or coins until December then then it is a moot point. If they made the dies earlier but didn't coin until December the dies may have existed but they would not have struck anything and would have waited to see what was going to happen. Very quickly it would have been clear that the Kennedy half was going to be approved and the dies would not have been used. (Remember, at this time the Mint is running flat out 24/7 trying to get ahead of the coin shortage. There are no down times or presses for someone to fool around and do some private coining of his own. A pressman who is not running his press is soon going to have a supervisor asking him why.)

On the other hand if die and/or coin production typically began in November there could have been 1964 Franklins struck already. But in that case I would expect to find records ordering the ceasing of production and the destruction of the coins and dies.

The problem with finding these records is that they may be scattered at any one of several national archives depositories around the country, or there is the chance that they may have been destroyed by Mint Director Stella Hackel. The second possibility may be slight because I believe she confined most of her mint records destruction to the late 19th and early 20th century records. (I think she may have been involved with the destruction of some early 19th century records as well.) I don't have experience searching through the archives or how you would go about trying to trace any such records. The person to ask would be Roger Burdette. Has he seen any such records or does he have any suggestions as to how to go about finding them.

 

These people apparently think they had six of them.http://www.rowellauctions.com/index...25&search=&psearch=&msearch=&cat=&sort=1&pn=2

 

did you look at the photos? They're Kennedy halves the description is wrong.

 

Man, where was I when these went down? Only $8 for a major rarity like this? I'll bet the D. Carr '64 Frankies go for more than those!!!!

 

as a comparison, there was a rumour in the 70's and 80's over here that a 1937 edward VIII australian 3d coin existed, everyone dismissed the rumour as a fantasy until a lad in chester got some old coins from his uncle who had been in the merchant navy. and lo and behold one of them was the rumoured coin, it sold at auction in the mid 90's for £73,000. never dismiss any rumour as some do have a grain of truth behind them...............