#5669371 - 05/10/1204:17 PMRe: Franklins must be the ugliest coin design ever
[Re: rrantique]
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FACT if I stop posting, trillions and trillions of transistors would be out of work.
Registered: 01/03/05
Posts: 4488
In the past the US Mint has produced some monumentally awful designs - and some that are exceedingly good. A lot depends on the vision and creative taste of those pushing the design. Obviously, bald guys do not work well on low relief coins, but both the Franklin and Eisenhower coins could have been much better if the sculptors had been allowed to exercise some artistic freedom. Franklin/Liberty Bell is pure Sinnock - flat relief, poor definition and sloppy execution -- Roberts was not permitted to improve it. Ike/Apollo 11 suffered from too much political interference and a sculptor (Gasparo) who was into mushy lines and fuzzy imitation.
A good portrait is Jones' Liberty of the gold $5, and there are piles of good eagles lying and perching and egg-guarding.
Funny that a SL quarter was posted. McNeil’s revised design of Sept 1916 is much better than the one used or any of the Mint-versions. But the whole thing is on too small a coin – it never looked good in to tiny a space.
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Author of “Renaissance of American Coinage” (NLG Book-of-the-Year 3 years in a row) series and “Guide Book of Peace Dollars,” NLG 2011-Best Software: “Annual Assay Commission, United States Mint, 1800-1943,” and “Silver Dollars Struck under the Pittman Act.” Federal Court-approved numismatic expert. Contributor to the Red Book, Judd Patterns and many other fine numismatic books, discoverer of two gold patterns, and author of numerous coin research articles.
The OP must not be very educated with the franklin series. They aren't easy to find with great toning, in fact it's just the opposite.
Different strokes for different folks, I don't care for morgans or barber coinage. But I don't discriminate against people who do, I don't care if your thing is the presidential dollar series, I can still respect that.
The OP was referring to the DESIGN of the Franklin Half...not the possibility of finding pretty toning on silver that makes up for the bad design. Don't let the pretty colors fool you into believing that the Franklin was some sort of earth-shattering beauty. It simply was and is not.
The OP must not be very educated with the franklin series. They aren't easy to find with great toning, in fact it's just the opposite.
Different strokes for different folks, I don't care for morgans or barber coinage. But I don't discriminate against people who do, I don't care if your thing is the presidential dollar series, I can still respect that.
I am quite retarded actually.
That is why I am having so much trouble finding the wonderfully toned frank I am seeking. You know because they are so common.
I did state it is ugly and the toning is usually not attractive. Not usually easy to find.
I do not collect any US coins, but I do not consider the Franklin half particularly unattractive. The worst circulating coin to me is either the SBA dollar or those "gold" dollars" For a "real" series, the FDR dime hands down.
Well heres how I see it. Franklins are my favorite of the half dollars.
I love Walkers also, but Its hard to find many pre1935 ones for good prices. To me, they are very collectible, and I love to have them in my collection more.
Franklin halves are more abundant in many grades and errors. I can buy raw ones off Ebay from Good to Proof and possibly just get away with paying the silver content. and if you get lucky you can get a Proof 1956 franklin graded by NGC for $25 on Ebay. Yes, the "Junk" condition ones are just bullion, but the fact that they are very affordable even in higher grades makes them a plus. And Franklin errors, like the Bugs Bunny halves, are nice, but I personally like DDR's better.
Kennedy halves that I see raw, are just bought at spot price. But many people have Kennedys graded but they are all modern dates out of proof sets. I don't like that 9/10 Kennedy halves dated 1992-2012 that are graded by TPGs are PF69-70, UCam, DCAM, etc. There are many JFK halves with DDRs and RPMs, but they are not as collectible as franklin errors IMO.
As to the toning, I honestly have seen very few toned franklins. If you have one that has toning, I would like to see it or buy it if you are selling.
-Dave
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#5669963 - 05/10/1207:35 PMRe: Franklins must be the ugliest coin design ever
[Re: world colonial]
Buffalo HeadBuffalo Head
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Registered: 12/09/10
Posts: 1523
Loc: California
Originally Posted By: world colonial
I do not collect any US coins, but I do not consider the Franklin half particularly unattractive. The worst circulating coin to me is either the SBA dollar or those "gold" dollars" For a "real" series, the FDR dime hands down.
I agree! How much longer are we going to have to live with these ugly dimes. I mean to say I , to a degree like the old silver ones, but man, come on how long? We went from the most beautiful design to a Roosevelt ? WHY??????????
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The bitterness of low quality is remembered long after the the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
Also the cheek on Ben looks way too banged up. I hope you did not pay too much premium.
This is arguably the finest known coin for this date. I bought it as a 65FBL, and later got it upgraded to a 65+ * FBL, on personal review from Mark Salzberg. A Franklin collector would pay a significant premium for an example nearly as fine as this.
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I reserve the right to change my mind with new facts, experience, opinions, or viewpoints.
The OP must not be very educated with the franklin series. They aren't easy to find with great toning, in fact it's just the opposite.
Different strokes for different folks, I don't care for morgans or barber coinage. But I don't discriminate against people who do, I don't care if your thing is the presidential dollar series, I can still respect that.
I am quite retarded actually.
That is why I am having so much trouble finding the wonderfully toned frank I am seeking. You know because they are so common.
I did state it is ugly and the toning is usually not attractive. Not usually easy to find.
And no. Your frank doesnt get me jerking.
The examples posted in this thread are just about some of the nicest you will find. If you don't like any of these, well, you're just never going to find one you like. I'm ok with that - more for me.
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I reserve the right to change my mind with new facts, experience, opinions, or viewpoints.
They are an attractive series. 
