Origination of the Franklin Half Dollar Design

[jesbroken]

I am sure that most of you know where the Franklin Half Dollar design came from, but for those that do not an interesting tidbit of information follows:

 

In early 1942, due to the war effort, strategic metals(included in the Jefferson Nickel) were in short supply and were ordered to be conserved and recycled by any and all means. Suggestions were made by citizens as how to conserve or prevent useage of these strategic metals(copper, nickel and iron). One Philip C. Meyer of Richmond, Va. recommended the creation of a half dime made of silver to replace the nickel. This idea bounced around the Bureau of the mint for some time until June 8, 1942 when Director Nellie Tayloe Ross was contacted by field engineer Charles M. Miller who recommended the coinage of a half dime made of .900 fine silver, thus relieving the pressure on the then current 5 cent piece, allowing it to continue to meet the vending needs and other demands then being made on the piece. In a meeting on July 14 the aforementioned Ross and Miller met with then Under Secretary of the Treasury D.W. Bell and it was agreed that a 90 % silver dime be recommended as a substitute for the copper-nickel 5-cent coin then in use, thus discontinuing the Jefferson Nickel for at least the remainder of the war. On August 11, 1942 Director Ross directed John Sinnock to complete a plaster model of a portrait of Benjamin Franklin and the Liberty Bell for useage for the obverse and reverse of the half dime should it made into law by Congress. John Sinnock had already made 6 drawings for the possible coin.

A mere week later a possible decision was offered to utilize the current Jefferson nickel with a modification of its metal content-35% silver, 56% copper and 9% manganese with a mint mark over the dome of Monticello to provide diffentiation of the coinage changes. The half-dime models were already prepared by Sinnock and on September 10, 1942 they were sent to Washington. These models were approved by Treasury Secretary Morgenthau for use on either a half dime or 3 cent piece(also in consideration). On Dec. 16, 1942 the dies were authorized to be manufactured for a three cent piece with the Franklin obverse and Liberty Bell(complete with crack). But on December 18, 1942 Congress passed Public Law 815 authorizing the substitution of other materials retaining the Jefferson design. Thus the near implementation of the John Sinnock’s Franklin Half Dime nor 3-cent piece was aborted and never came to pass.

While Sinnock’s design was never used for either half dimes nor 3 cent coins the models were not forgotten for in 1947 the chief engraver modified Sinnock’s models and used them to create the Franklin Half Dollar.

--From an article by Roger W. Burdette in the August 2006 CoinValues magazine.

 

I felt this was very interesting and unknown to me until the time of reading this article-sorry if it was lengthy as much was left out in favor of its brevity. I hope some of you found it informative as well as interesting.

 

[bsshog40]

Interesting Jim. I wonder what would the half design had been if they would've went with him on the half dime design.

[Dwaine]

I did not know that. Thanks for sharing. Just goes to show that you can learn something new everyday.

[TomB]

That's the first I have heard of the half dime or three cent silver proposals. Pretty cool.

[jesbroken]

I wonder what became of the 6 drawings and the plaster casts?

[rbrown4]

Very interesting. Thanks for the story.

 

Rey

[TJ'S Coins]

Well written and very informative.

[MikeKing]

very interesting. thanks for posting this.

I'd be interested in seeing the plaster casts and drawings also.

[jesbroken]

Mike, I have since read that the drawings were saved and stored, but not where and then nothing about the plaster models. Does anyone know if the Philadelphia Mint has a museum or not? I would think that it probably does. I checked the Smithsonian and could find no record of them there, but still a possibility.

 

Thanks to Mark Feld who noted that I misquoted the half dime as a dime in the following excerpt:

and it was agreed that a 90 % silver dime be recommended as a substitute

 

I will try to do better, I promise.

[physics-fan3.14]

I wonder what became of the 6 drawings and the plaster casts?

 

I know that a couple of pieces were donated to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. It may be that they were the recipients of these as well. I do not know.

[jesbroken]

Thanks for the info, Jason. I have emailed them and requested this information. I will update all upon receiving an answer.

[DWLange]

Mint Director Ross was absolutely determined to get Franklin on a USA coin. She had been pushing for this design as a replacement for the Mercury Dime when its statutory minimum years of coinage was achieved in 1940, but the sudden increase in demand for coins put this project on the back burner. Roosevelt's death during the war derailed her plans again when he was selected for the dime. No one had the nerve to remove Lincoln from the cent, so that left only the half dollar, as the remaining coins had not achieved their minimum 25 years of production.

[bsshog40]

Thanks for the added info David!

[jesbroken]

Thanks, David. The article never really mentioned that the Franklin idea was hers, but that it was one of 6 sketches John Sinnock devised. Very interesting-adds a bit of background color to the story.

Jim

[RWB]

jesbroken --

 

Sinnock's half dime drawings are in the National Archives in College Park, MD. The half dollar models, if they still exist, are probably in the Philadelphia Mint's basement vault with other models, galvanos, hubs and miscellaneous items. There is a current inventory project for this material so one day we might actually know what is in the vault.

 

After Director Ross got Franklin on the half dollar, she attempted to replace the Brenner Lincoln portrait with a larger, more rugged one by James Fraser. Pattern dies and coins were made, but none saved. The project was abandoned when Eisenhower was elected President (assuring Ross’ replacement) and demand for minor coinage increased.

 

[jesbroken]

Thank you, RWB. Am I to assume that such pieces of history are available for the public to view at the National Archives in College Park, MD? This indeed adds to this story so much.

Such a wealth of information that is contained within this forum. I am truly impressed.

Thank you to all who have participated and by all means add more information if available.

[RWB]

The Sinnock sketches are at NARA College Park, MD. Record Group 104, entry 328-I, box 1, folder "Proposed 1/2 Dime."

 

Expect to spend about 1/2 day registering, sending for the file box, waiting for it, finding the images and returning the box.

 

If anyone wants a high resolution PDF of the original article with images for personal use or for a club presentation, send me a PM with your email.

 

RWB

 

[rbrown4]

As a side note, there is also a short article on this very subject in the new December 2007 Coin Values magazine, next to the last page.

 

Rey