Hi all! My mother-in-law was left quite a collection by her late husband. I honestly don't even know all of what she has other than they were kept in folders, 2x2's and I believe a few slabs, so I'm sure they are in fine condition. I won't know for certain until my husband go over to help her sort what she has later. No one really knows when he started collecting. I do know that there is a full folder of Franklin Halves. Some of these are marked as uncirculated. I would like some helpful hints in going over these. Key and Semi-Key dates & Varieties. Anything else you could add to help distinguish what she has would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping to get some pics to share and get some thoughts on grades. Thanks for any advice you can give. Peace, 52
We love pics... There are plenty of really knowledgable folks here that will respond to pics. My .02 (worth what you paid for it) is that Franklins are generally considered a common coin. Most are worth their value in silver until you consider either very high grade coins, or one or two better dates. That said, there are some collectors that love this coin and specialize in it's many minor varieties. The big thing that I like to say is 'eye appeal' is what makes or breaks a common coin. Good luck! Dave
Below is a link to grading Franklin's that I find helpful. Some collectors like full bell line. Full Bell line: Fully struck bell lines appearing near the bottom of the Liberty Bell on the reverse are desired and bring a premium value higher than Uncirculated specimens without full bell lines. Those key dates for full bell line are 1953-S and 1963. Other key dates in the series are 1948, 1949-S, 1953 and 1955. http://wnccoins.com/0014.htm
