1948 Half Dollar Pattern - J-A1948-2

Coin Details

Description

A pattern half dollar from 1948 associated with the development of the Franklin half dollar design. The Franklin half dollar, authorized by Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross and designed by Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock, replaced the long-running Walking Liberty half dollar that had been in production since 1916. This pattern bears the "J-A" prefix in the Judd catalog, indicating it was added as an appendix entry after the original catalog sequence was established. The Franklin design — featuring Benjamin Franklin's profile on the obverse and the Liberty Bell on the reverse — was somewhat controversial at the time. The Commission of Fine Arts objected to replacing Adolph Weinman's acclaimed Walking Liberty design, and critics noted that the reverse Liberty Bell was cracked, an observation that proponents countered was historically accurate. Sinnock died in 1947 before the design was finalized, and his assistant Gilroy Roberts completed the work. This pattern documents the transitional development period between the approved design concept and the production coins that entered circulation in April 1948.

Rarity Notes

R-8 (Extremely Rare). Franklin half dollar patterns are virtually undocumented in private hands, with most specimens retained in Mint or institutional collections.

Cross References

Judd J-A1948-2