The 1950 Franklin half dollar is a common issue in nearly all grades, but this one graded MS-67+ full bell lines by PCGS is one of just two like-graded examples at PCGS with none finer, and brought $39,600 in Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ Aug. 15 Rarities Night auction. The Stack’s Bowers cataloger praised the full luster and razor sharp strike, further observing, “Breathtakingly beautiful surfaces are wonderfully original with the most vivid cobalt blue, salmon pink and orange-gold toning ringing much of the obverse periphery.” 

PCGS utilizes the FBL designation for Mint State Franklin half dollars having complete, uninterrupted lower lines on the reverse’s Liberty Bell. The same coin sold for $15,275 at Heritage’s June 2017 Long Beach auctions, and the other of the two like-graded examples at PCGS sold for $18,212.50 at a 2015 Heritage sale. 

One of the 18 PCGS MS-67 FBL examples realized $4,080 at Heritage’s April Central States Numismatic Society auctions, providing further evidence of the power of the finest known designation to lift prices. 

Inside Coin World: Coal company scrip has connection to movie Among the columns exclusive to subscribers in the Sept. 24 issue of Coin World is one about coal company scrip with a movie connection.

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