Hello, This week I am actually going to submit a column. I apologize to all of my readers, and especially to Will Hilton who wrote to me about a month, or more, ago with some questions. I've been really busy lately so I haven't had too much time to get this column together.

OK, I'm done making excuses and am ready to get to the question submitted by Mr. Hilton. He wrote: “I just ran into a 1954 Benjamin Franklin Half Dollar, no mint mark and very tarnished. First of all, what is the history of half dollars? I still find the Kennedy's but not a lot in circulation. Were 50 cent pieces ever popular? I'm sure this 54 B.F. Is still worth 50 cents but was still interested in your opinion....”

Will went on to ask about tips on taking care of coin collections such as how to store the coins in the plastic sleeve holders. He said that they seem to tarnish and he finds the boxes to be the best. He then asked if coins should ever be cleaned.

Wow, there is a lot to consider here and I will take one thing at a time, beginning with the worth of the 1954 Franklin. Well, I have found something really fascinating. Actually, these Franklin coins, according to a few sources, should be prominent in any collection.

I have so much information here that I am going to have to answer this question this time and then get into the coin storage and cleaning another time. Sorry but space would not allow. Here is everything you've ever wanted to know about your Franklin coin and other Franklin coins too. This information comes from collectorsinternet.com.

Here goes: The Benjamin Franklin Half Dollar is a coin steeped in history and fascinating facts. Up until 1979, with the advent of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar, Benjamin Franklin was the only real-person, non-president, to appear on a coin designed for circulation. Mr. Franklin served as the first U.S. Post Master, he invented dozens of useful items, and he was a brilliant writer and statesman. John R. Sinnock, the designer of this coin, had his initials engraved in all of the Franklin Half Dollar dies, and positioned these initials below Franklin's bust. During those McCarthy-era years, paranoia got the best of some people, who complained that the initials JRS stood for Joseph Stalin. For yet another reason, Mr. Sinnock was later denounced for his design, as the Bell that appears on the reverse is very similar to the Sesquicentennial Commemorative Half Dollar of 1926. By law, the eagle had to appear on all half dollars since the 1790s. But since Franklin was synonymous with Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell seemed more appropriate. This conflict was resolved by designing the likeness of a very tiny eagle, which appears on all issues, at the side of the Bell.

2. Minted only from 1948 to 1963 (Only 16 years!). A nice BU complete set is far more affordable and easily attainable than other popular series. A complete set of nice BU Morgans or Walkers would cost over $50,000 per set! Yet, really nice Franklin sets can be had for under $1,000 !

3. Many low mintage issues abound in this series, with an average mintage being far fewer than the average mintage of Morgan Dollars and Walking Liberty Halves!

4. Because of their relative recent mintage and availability at the time, millions were melted in the great silver melts of 1964 through1968 and 1979 through 1983.

5. The possible available sets in nice BU condition is limited to the least-available coin in nice BU, believed to be the 1949-S.

With a mintage of just 3,744,000, most of this date was heavily circulated as collectors of the time focused more on hoarding the 1948 first-year issues and the obsolete Walking Liberty Halves. Many market-makers believe that fewer than 10,000 1949-S issues survived in nice BU (Mint State 63 or better) condition. The Professional Coin Grading Services have graded only a few hundred in 63, 64 and 65 and less than a 100 in 66 or better. Therefore, in theory at least, the possible number of COMPLETE sets of Franklin coins available is probably limited to no more than approximately 10,000 at best.

6. The number of possible nice BU sets with Full Bell Lines (full lines on the lower part of the bell) is even more limited, as it is widely believed that there are many dates and mints in this series in which there are no more than a thousand nice BU examples with Full Bell Lines. Few dealers have very big inventories of these, with the exception of some of the bigger ones such as Bowers & Marena, CollectorsInternet, Collectors Universe and R & I Coin. The Professional Coin Grading Services have graded only a few hundred of each and every date with Full Bell Lines in nice BU.

7. At under $1,000 each for nice BU sets, and only a few thousand dollars for sets with Full Bell Lines, these sets are way under priced yet still highly affordable. I remember buying nice BU 63 sets for about $550 to $950 per set back in the early 1980s. Today, these coins can still be had for about the same price! Unfortunately, I sold them all, and am eager to start buying more again. There are not too many sets of large silver coins in the world that we can own for only about an average of $20 to $30 per coin. I think with the advent of the State Quarters, which are going to be continuously issued until the year 2008, the number of collectors entering the market will continue to grow and grow. It is often said that rare coins are "the poor-man's real estate", because like real estate, there is only a limited supply, but the demand keeps growing not only with the population, but with the increase popularity. I think all coins are a great buy these days, be they Large Cents, Walkers, Morgan or Peace Dollars. However, with such a limited supply of nice BU Franklin coins, along with the ease of putting together a nice set at very attainable prices, I think the Franklin Half Dollar will do particularly well for investors and collectors now, through the year 2008, and beyond.

Will, as my grandmother would say, “What do you think of them apples?”

In one of my next columns, I will try and copy and paste the chart that was on this site as well. Before I let you go, I have to give just one quick tip about cleaning coins: Don't clean them! It is better to be safe than sorry. In the end, it is more likely that you will devalue the coin by mistake.

Will, I am holding on to your letter for future columns and thank you very much for waiting for this information.

Thanks to everyone for reading Coin Corner and I will try to get back on a better schedule soon.