1963 Franklin Half Dollar "Bugs Bunny" PCGS Certified MS64

In 1947, U.S. Mint director Nellie Tayloe Ross, the first woman to hold that position, instructed Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock to prepare designs for a Franklin half dollar. She had always deeply admired Franklin, who himself was known to oppose portraits on coins, like many of the Founding Fathers. Sinnock based his designs on a Franklin medal he had created previously but died before he could fully adapt these designs to the new half dollar, which required completion by Sinnock’s successor, Gilroy Roberts.

The obverse features a right facing bust of Franklin, while the reverse shows a large rendition of the Liberty Bell and a smaller depiction of an eagle. The eagle was included to satisfy an old law requiring it to appear on all United States silver coins. The Franklin half dollar was released to the public at noon on April 30th, 1948, the anniversary of George Washington’s 1789 presidential inauguration. Production of the new half dollar continued for 15 years, until it was replaced abruptly by the Kennedy half dollar. This coin was swiftly introduced following the President’s assassination on November 22nd, 1963 and signed into law on December 30th of that year, marking the end of the Franklin half dollar series.

Several dates in the Franklin half dollar series include what are known as "Bugs Bunny" varieties. These are caused when the dies clash and a small, buck-tooth-like spike appears on Franklin's upper lip. The most famous of these is the 1955 “Bugs Bunny,” but others, including this 1963 example, are known to exist and are somewhat scarce. Offered here is a lustrous mint-state example of the Bugs Bunny variety from the last year of Franklin half dollar production. You will receive the unique coin shown in the photos housed in a plush-lined box with a certificate of authenticity.