Why is it graded so high.

Need to log off but really good info John.
I was under the impression that there only 6 to 10 or so years of proof sets with Franklins??
I chime in tomorrow after I do some more reading

 

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The franklin half was struck by the United States Mint from 1948 to 1963, so 16 issued years.
There's 14 proof sets, 16 if you count the 1955 box and flat pack packaging change variation, and if you count the small and large date proof sets of 1960,,,, if you wanted to be totally complete.
Proof coins were minted for at least 100 years but actual Proof sets start in 1936.
They didn't make proof sets between 1943-1949. so the 1948 and 1949 Franklin proof didn't happen.

the proof set was in a small box from 1936-1955, in 1955 it switched to the flat pack cellophane and envelope type during the year, so there's two packaging versions that year.

 

Yes, instantly!

Proofs are designed for collectors and are supposed to be very high grade. Business strikes are meant for circulation and survival in the highest grades requires a series of fortunate events. That said, proofs are much more delicate and more likely to be mishandled by their owners.

 

Thanks for answering my questions everyone

Just wan't to ask one more thing
Is a MS coin set basicly a business strike but from new specially chosen dies?

 

Hi Peter.

It depend's on the year of the mint set. "MS" is a condition/grade for "mint state". A mint set is a mint set.
for some years the mint took better quality business strike coins or first strikes off of die pairs and used them for mint sets.
Other years they increased die pressure some for stronger strikes on the presses, some years like the mint sets of 2005-2010 they special finished the die with a "satin finish" for the mint sets and ran them at slightly higher pressures for stronger strikes.

Generally speaking it's just normally a better condition coin in a mint set but it's still a "business strike". Selected at the mint after minting and less handled an banged around in the supply chain, but the mint has switched things up over the years to try to make a better coin for mint sets that collectors will enjoy because if they just pick nice ones, there's always been complaints from customers that something wasn't good enough.