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The 1955 Half Dollar is a scarce Franklin issue because it was released when the mint slowed production. And this “slowing down” process was pretty big: less than 2.5 million pieces left the presses, and all coins were from Philadelphia.
There is also a way to quickly see how much your collection is worth without even reading long articles: use a free coin identifier app for Android.
The Historical Significance of the 1955 Half Dollar
The United States was between wars when it made this piece. All needs went to the industry, and the Mint didn’t need to produce much circulating coinage. John R. Sinnock made the design that still had Benjamin Franklin on the front, and he drew the Liberty Bell on the reverse. The 1955 Franklin Half Dollar looks just practical enough to be in circulation.
The creator didn’t want to make the next Barber quarter with so many details that it looks like a painting. The coin was made to serve its purpose, and because of its low mintage, it can cost a lot. But how much is this “a lot”?
Of course, they added the small eagle beside it. This rule is actually a legal requirement: every half dollar had to display the national bird somewhere.
No branch mints contributed that year, and everything came from Philadelphia, because production was low. A lot of coins were stored away by collectors and banks, so you may even meet one today.
1955 Half Dollar Value and Market Factors
Guess the 1955 Half Dollar value if it has a limited mintage and so much popularity? Well, actually, not many pieces cost more than 100 dollars; it just depends on how good the conditions were to keep this issue clean and with no scratches.
Circulated examples are still pretty close to silver melt, mint-state pieces have much higher demand, just take a look at the prices as of November 2025:
Grade | Typical Market Price (2025) |
Good (G-4) | $20 |
Very Fine (VF-20) | $25 |
Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $30 |
Almost Uncirculated (AU-50) | $45 |
Mint State 63 | $80 |
Mint State 65 | $180 |
Mint State 67 | $4,000–$5,000 |
The top-end specimens with crisp Full Bell Lines (FBL) can reach over $5,000. The 1955 Franklin Half Dollar value is pretty big compared to other half dollars because there are just 2,498,181 coins total.
The 1955 Ben Franklin Half Dollar as a Collector Favorite
Collectors love the 1955 Ben Franklin Half Dollar. Because, first, you still can get it from the auctions, and second, you still can keep it, so it would be even more scarce. A lot of pieces are stored in uncirculated condition; finding a bright example isn’t impossible. The perfect bell lines, though, are pretty rare.
“A widely known variety is the 1955 "Bugs Bunny" half. This variety was caused by a die clash between an obverse die and a reverse die. The impact of the eagle's wings on the other die caused a marking outside of Franklin's mouth which, according to some, resembles buck teeth.”
— Rick Jerry Tomaska, an American numismatist
from A Guide Book of Franklin & Kennedy Half Dollars. Atlanta: Whitman Publishing
The Franklin series ended in 1963, and the Kennedy half dollar took their place after JFK’s assassination. It was a pretty short 16-year lifespan for a coin, and they used 90% silver for all half dollars. So, yes, it is pretty valuable.
Conclusion
This half dollar is struck in low numbers, beautifully designed, and most of the time well preserved. It makes sense to want to acquire it, and it is still possible enough.
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