Franklin (Liberty Bell) fifty-cents coins, 1948-1963 ~ We buy some Ben Franklin halves.
In addition, we buy any pre-1965 U.S. 50 cent coins if you have a large quantity. Call our buyer toll-free at 877-770-7040 if you have questions.
Below you will find information about various details of grading U.S. half-dollars which can help you determine the value of your coins. These grades and descriptions use official American Numismatic Association (ANA) terminology, both in general descriptions of grades throughout this website, as well as coin-specific grading terminology on these coin grading pages.*
Examples of halves in various grading conditions are shown, graded by various professional grading services companies, as indicated by their abbreviations. If you wish to get a fast, fair and free appraisal from a professional coin dealer, go here for more information about how to send us silver halves.
G-4, Heavily worn. Design and legend are visible, but faint in spots. Obverse: Entire design is well worn, with very little detail remaining. Some letters in LIBERTY are worn away. Stars and date are weak but visible and may merge with rim. Reverse: Eagle is worn nearly flat but is completely outlined. Tops of some letters are worn nearly smooth and may merge with rim. Eye and motto are only partially visible.
AG-3, Outlined design. Date and legend smooth. Obverse: Head is outlined with nearly all details worn away. Date is readable but very weak. Stars merge into rim.
AG-3, Outlined design. Parts of date and legend are worn smooth. Obverse: Liberty is outlined with nearly all details worn away. Date is readable but very weak. Stars merge into rim. Reverse: Entire design is partially worn away. Legend merges into rim.
VG-8, Well worn capped bust half dollar. Design is clear but flat and lacking details. OBV: Entire head is outlined, with only half of hair details worn smooth. Eye, ear, and clasp are barely visible. All letters in LIBERTY are readable. Stars are flat. REV: Eagle is boldly outlined with only a few feathers showing on left wing. Some letters in motto are very weak or partially worn away. Head, top of shield, talons, and olive branch are nearly smooth. Eye is visible.
G-4, Heavily worn capped bust Liberty 50 cent piece. Design and legend are visible, but also faint in a few spots. OBV: Entire design is well worn, with very little detail remaining. At least three letters in LIBERTY are visible. Stars and date are visible but may merge with rim. REV: Eagle is worn nearly flat but is completely outlined. Tops of some letters are worn nearly smooth and may merge with rim. Eye and shield are only partially visible.
G-4, Heavily worn seated Liberty half-dollar. Design and legend are visible, but faint in spots. OBV: Entire design is well worn, with very little detail remaining. Date is weak but visible. Shield is worn smooth. Three-quarters of rim is plain.
F-12, Moderate to heavy even wear. Entire design is clear and bold. OBV: More than half the details show in hair, drapery, and cap. All letters and parts of ear and clasp are visible. Eyelid is flattened. Star centers are worn flat. LIBERTY is complete. REV: Nearly half the feathers are visible in the wings. Letters in motto are weak but clear. Head is nearly smooth but eye and some feathers show. Parts of shield are worn smooth at the top.
VG-8, Well worn. Design clear but flat. Lacking details. OBV: Entire head outlined with half of all details worn smooth. Eye, ear, and clasp are barely visible. All letters in LIBERTY are readable. Stars are flat. REV: Eagle is boldly outlined with about half of feathers showing in wings. Head, top of shield, talons, and olive branch are nearly smooth. Eye is visible.
VG-8, Well worn. Design is clear but flat and lacking details. OBV: Entire shield is weak but three-quarters outlined. Most gown details are worn smooth. Some letters in LIBERTY are clear. Rim is complete. REV: Eagle and leaves show only bold outline. Some of shield is very weak. Legend and rim are clear.
GRADING U.S. 50-CENT COINS
CAPPED BUST, lettered
CAPPED BUST, reeded
SEATED LIBERTY
VF-20, Light to moderate even wear. All major features sharp. OBV: More than half of the details still show in hair. Drapery and lower curls are worn but bold. Ear, clasp, and curls are worn but all plainly visible. Star centers are very weak. REV: Head and leg are worn, but some feathers are visible. Most details in wings are clear but edges are flat. Motto is complete. Half the horizontal shield lines are separated.
F-12, Moderately heavy even wear. Entire design clear and bold. OBV: Over half the details show in hair, drapery and cap. All letters and parts of ear and clasp are visible. Eyelid is flattened. Star centers are very weak. LIBERTY is complete. REV: Half the feathers are visible in the wings. Talons and arrowheads are flat but clear. Head is nearly smooth but eye and some feathers show. Parts of shield are worn smooth at top.
F-12, Moderate to heavy even wear. Entire design is clear and bold. OBV: Some details show in hair, cap, and the shoulder and breast. All shield lines and letters in LIBERTY are weak but visible. Foot and sandal are separated. REV: Some details in feathers are visible. Shield border is partially visible on right side. Talons are flat but separated. Letters in legend are worn but clear. Letters IN and ST are weak in motto on coins from 1866 through 1891.
VF-30, Light to moderate even wear. All major capped bust half dollar features are sharp. OBV: Curls above eye, ear, and clasp are worn almost smooth in spots. Balance of hair is well detailed. Ear and shoulder clasp show clearly. Drapery and eye are well defined. Star centers are weak. REV: Feathers are worn but most details are visible. Some details in neck, shield, and talons are well worn. Eyelid is visible. Horizontal shield lines are flat but separated.
VF-20, capped bust 50 cent piece with light-moderate, even wear. Major features sharp. OBV: Over half of the details still show in hair. Drapery and lower curls are worn but bold. Ear, clasp, and curls are worn but all plainly visible. Star centers are weak. REV: Head and leg are worn, but some feathers are visible. Most details in wings are clear but edges are flat. Horizontal shield lines are flat but separated.
VF-20, Light to moderate evenly worn Liberty seated 50 cent piece. All major features are sharp. OBV: Over 1/2 the details show in the gown. Hair, shoulder, and legs are worn but bold. Every letter in LIBERTY is visible. Horizontal shield lines are weak at center. REV: Three-quarters of the feathers are visible. Arrowheads and talons are worn, but some details are visible. Half the details in leaves are clear.
EF-40, Very light wear on only the highest points. OBV: Wear shows on hair above eye and ear, and lightly on the cap and curls. Drapery is lightly worn at neckline in spots. Ear and shoulder clasp are bold. Star details are complete. REV: High points of eagle and shield are worn, but each detail is clearly defined. Neck and tail feathers are very lightly worn. Talons, arrows, and olive branch show slight wear.
VF-30 capped bust half dollar, reeded edge: Light-moderate wear. All major features are sharp. OBV: Curls above eye, ear, and clasp are worn almost smooth in spots. Balance of hair and drapery is well detailed. Ear and shoulder clasp show clearly. Star centers are visible. REV:shown. Feathers are worn but most details are visible. Some details in neck, shield, and talons are well worn. Eyelid is visible. Horizontal shield lines are worn but separated.
VF-30, Light to Moderate even wear. Major features sharp. OBV: Wear spots show on shoulder, breast, knees, and legs. Neckline is weak but has some visible details in center. LIBERTY and scroll are complete. Fingers at pole are flat but separated. All lines in shield are distinct.
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EF-45, Very light wear only on high points. Traces of mint luster may still be present. OBV: Slight wear shows on high points of cap and on hair above eye and over the ear. Drapery is worn at shoulder and bust line. Trace of wear shows on lowest curl. Star details are full. REV: High points of wings, head, talons, shield, and arrowheads are lightly worn. Lines in feathers are clearly defined.
EF-40, Very light wear on high points. Traces of mint luster may still show. OBV: Wear shows on hair above eye and ear, and lightly on cap and curls. Drapery is lightly worn at neckline in spots. Ear and shoulder clasp are bold. Star details are complete. REV: High points of eagle and shield are worn, but each detail is clearly defined. Neck and tail feathers are very lightly worn at center. Talons, arrows, and olive branch show slight wear.
Seated Liberty half dollars EF-40: Very light wear on only the highest points. Traces of mint luster may still show. OBV:shown. Wear shows on knees, breast, head, and shoulder. Drapery is lightly worn at neckline in spots. LIBERTY is complete and scroll edges are raised. REV: High points of eagle and arrows are worn, but each detail is clearly defined. Neck feathers and talons are distinct.
Capped bust half dollar, lettered edge, AU-50: Small traces of wear are visible on highest points of the capped bust half dollar, lettered edge. Part of mint luster is still present. OBV: Traces of wear shows on hair above eye and over the ear. Drapery clasp is clear and bold. Cap and drapery around bust show light signs of wear. REV:shown. Traces of wear show on head, talons, arrowheads, and edges of wings.
EF-45 capped bust, Very light wear on only the highest points of the silver half dollar. Some of mint luster is still present. OBV: Slight wear shows on high points of cap, and hair above eye and over the ear. Drapery is worn at shoulder and bust line. Trace of wear shows on lowest curl. Star details are full. REV: High points of wings, head, talons, shield, and arrowheads are lightly worn. Lines in feathers are clearly defined.
EF-45 seated Liberty: Very light wear on the half dollar's high points. Part of the mint luster is still present. OBV: Slight wear shows on high points of knees, breast, and hair at forehead. Drapery is worn at shoulder and bust line. LIBERTY is sharp and scroll edges are raised. REV: High points of eagle and arrows are lightly worn. Talons are clearly defined. Neck feathers are fully separated.
Capped bust half dollar, lettered edge, AU-55: Small traces of wear visible on high points. Some of mint luster is still present. OBV:shown. Only a trace of wear shows on high points of cap and hair above eye. REV: A trace of wear shows on wings, head, and beak.
AU-50 capped bust half dollar, reeded edge: Small traces of wear visible on high points. Part of mint luster is still present. OBV:shown. Traces of wear show on hair above eye and over the ear. Drapery clasp is clear and bold. Cap and drapery around bust show light signs of wear. REV: Traces of wear show on talons, arrowheads, and edges of wings.
AU-50, Small traces of wear are visible on highest points. Half of the mint luster is still present. OBV: Traces of wear show on knees, breast, and edge of hair line. Foot is separated from sandal. REV: Traces of wear show on talons, neck, head, and tips of wings.
GRADING U.S. 50-CENT COINS
CAPPED BUST, lettered
CAPPED BUST, reeded
SEATED LIBERTY
AU-58, Small traces of wear visible on only the highest points. Has some signs of abrasion: drapery at front of Liberty's bust, cap, shoulder, clasp, and hair above eye and at tips of curls; eagle's claws, head, and edges of wings. Shallow or weak spots in the design are usually caused by improper striking, and not wear.
AU-55, Small traces of wear are visible on highest points. OBV: Only a trace of wear shows on high points of cap and hair above eye. REV: A trace of wear show son arrowheads and talons.
AU-55, Slight traces of wear visible on high points. Much of the mint luster is still present. OBV: Only a trace of wear shows on highest points of hair above eye, breast, and right leg. REV: Trace of wear shows on head and beak, and above eye.
MS-60, Absolutely no wear. A strictly uncirculated capped bust 50 cent piece, but with blemishes more obvious than for MS-63. May lack full mint luster, and surface may be dull, spotted, or heavily toned.
AU-58, Small traces of wear visible on capped bust 50 cent piece high points. Has some signs of abrasion; drapery at front of Liberty's bust, shoulder clasp, cap, and hair above eye and at tips of curls; eagle's claws, arrowheads, and edges of wings.
AU-58, Slight traces of wear are visible on only the highest points of the silver seated Liberty. Has some signs of abrasion on high points of Liberty's head, breast, and knees; eagle's neck, head, beak, and tops of wings. Weak spots in the design are usually caused by striking the half dollar, and not wear.
MS-63, Absolutely no trace of wear. A Mint State coin with attractive mint luster, but noticeable detracting contact marks or minor blemishes.
MS-60, No trace of wear, at all. A strictly Uncirculated coin with no trace of wear, but with blemishes more obvious than for MS-63. May lack full mint luster, and surface may be dull, spotted, or heavily toned.
MS-60, Absolutely no trace of wear, A strictly Uncirculated coin with no trace of wear, but with blemishes more obvious than for MS-63. May lack full mint luster, and surface may be dull, spotted, or heavily toned.
MS-65, Absolutely no wear detectable. No trace of wear; nearly as perfect as MS-67 except for some small blemishes. Has nearly full mint luster but may be unevenly toned or lightly fingermarked. A few barely noticeable nicks or marks may be present.
MS-63, Absolutely no trace of wear. A Mint State coin with attractive mint luster, but noticeable detracting contact marks or minor blemishes.
MS-63 seated liberty 50 cent piece, shown. No trace of wear. A Mint State coin with attractive mint luster, but noticeable detracting contact marks or minor blemishes.
MS-67, No trace of wear. A virtually flawless capped bust 1/2 dollar, but with very minor imperfections.
MS-65, Absolutely no wear. Nearly as perfect as an MS-67 capped bust half dollar, except for a few small blemishes. Has full mint luster but may be lightly fingermarked or unevenly toned. A few noticeable nicks or marks may be present.
MS-65, No wear at all. Nearly the same as an MS-67 capped bust 50 cent piece, except for some small blemishes. Has full mint luster but may be unevenly toned or lightly fingermarked.
MS-70, Absolutely no trace of wear. A flawless coin exactly as it was minted, with no trace of wear or injury. Must have full mint luster and brilliance or light toning.
MS-67, No wear, at all. Virtually flawless, but with very minor imperfections.
MS-67, Absolutely no trace of wear. Virtually flawless, but with very minor imperfections.
GRADING U.S. SILVER 50-CENT PIECES
CAPPED BUST, lettered
CAPPED BUST, reeded
SEATED LIBERTY
MS-70, Absolutely no trace of wear. A flawless coin exactly as it was minted, with no trace of wear or injury. Must have full mint luster and brilliance or light toning.
MS-70, Absolutely no wear. A flawless coin exactly as it was minted, with no trace of wear or injury. Must have full mint luster and brilliance or light toning.
... please call us toll-free at:
Call 877-770-7040
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MONDAY - FRIDAY
US Central Time
GMT -6
Get a free coin appraisal and grading from Midwest Mint. As knowledgeable coin dealers, we can offer you realistic prices. Call 877-770-7040 for more information.
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