Franklin Half Dollar (1948 – 1963) In 1947, under orders from Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross, Mint engraver John Sinnock began work on designing a new half dollar using the likeness of Benjamin Franklin. Sinnock called upon his previous works as a template. In 1926, Sinnock created the commemorative half for the nation’s sesquicentennial celebration. The reverse of this coin featured a Liberty Bell, and this served as inspiration for the new half dollar reverse. The obverse portrait was taken from a 1932 bronze medal. Sinnock had created the medal’s portrait using 18th century drawings done of Franklin by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon. The half was produced for sixteen years until the untimely death of John F. Kennedy spawned the memorial redesign of the half to feature the likeness of the assassinated president.
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