upcoming B. Franklin 300 th anni. of his birth and possibly a new half dollar?

[michael]

the upcoming 300 year tri centennial

 

anniversary of benjamin franklins birth is soon apon us 1706 to 2006

 

and i think a fitting memorial to one of our most patrotic first americans who played a most significant part in establishing our monetary system

 

would be a new half dollar

 

with him on the obverse with the same portrait as the franklins halves of the middle of 20th century

 

but with a new twist for the reverse

 

Ben Franklin is the only man whose signature appears on OUR

 

four most important documents

 

the

 

Declaration of Independence

Treaty of Alliance with France

Treaty of Paris at the close of the Revolutionary War

Constitution of the United States

 

 

these four documents, in other words a reasonable facimile thereof should be the reverse of this new half dollar with again the bust of franklin on the obverse for 2006!!

 

michael

 

 

 

 

[michael]

oh and i am sure this would jumpstart the franklin market too!!

 

 

michael

[michael]

 

 

michael

[gmarguli]

Are you suggesting removing St. Kennedy from the half dollar? Clearly you must be some ultra-right winger with nefarious political motives.

 

We cannot remove a current president and replace them with someone else on a coin. Perhaps put Franklin on the 35c piece? Making a new denomination is the only way to get a new face on a coin.

[Hoot]

We cannot remove a current president and replace them with someone else on a coin. Perhaps put Franklin on the 35c piece? Making a new denomination is the only way to get a new face on a coin.

 

Shouldn't this be a 37 cnet piece (if made right now) so that it matched the cost of a postage stamp like the 3 centers of old? After all, it would be viable for at least 6 months!

 

Hoot

[LucyBop]

A new FRANKIE!!!!!!!

[gmarguli]

A new FRANKIE!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, but it'd be clad. Can you imaging how ugly a clad Frankie would look. Think smaller Ike dollar with Franklin having spaghetti hair.

 

Frankies look nice in jet B&W cameo struck in silver.

 

[Higashiyama]

Yes, it seems like major recognition is in order.

 

If we remain with the concept of historical figures on our coins, I would endorse a return to Franklin.

 

Arguably, there are only three Americans without whom our history would have been dramatically different:

 

Washington

Franklin

Lincoln

 

(these are people whose role in history was unlikely to have been replaced by others)

[jtryka]

Do you really believe Teddy Kennedy will be dead by 2006? Because that's what it would take to remove his brother's image from the half. You think the Virginians were tough with Monticello, you haven't seen anything! I personally think the best thing would be a 2006 commemorative 90% silver half dollar using the exact same design as the original Franklin, along with a 90% silver dollar commemorating the many roles he played in our founding (i.e. the four documents you mentioned).

[jom]

personally think the best thing would be a 2006 commemorative 90% silver half dollar using the exact same design as the original Franklin,

 

I totally agree a Commem is in order for Franklin. But please..dear GOD...NOT the same design...ARGH!

 

jom

[michael]

some great ideas! jtry!!!!!

 

greg

 

well i would not appoint you on the new franklin half commission but i think you are right it would never happen

 

i guess after thinking about it and reading on here the only way would be a special franklin silver commem 2006 half dollar!!

 

 

thanks all great replies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

michael

[jtryka]

personally think the best thing would be a 2006 commemorative 90% silver half dollar using the exact same design as the original Franklin,

 

I totally agree a Commem is in order for Franklin. But please..dear GOD...NOT the same design...ARGH!

 

jom

 

Oh come on jom! It wouldn't be anything ugly like an Indian half eagle!

 

Think of it though, it would be a 2-coin set like the 98 RFK/JFK set, you get a newly designed dollar and the retro half.

 

And by the way, I really liked the Franklin design, much more then Kennedy at least, it's just a shame the series lasted only 15 years.

[michael]

keep the obverse and change the reverse as i suggested

 

make a 90% silver commem version in a matte finish only put it in a special set with the kennedy half and only mint/coin

 

500,000 put a reasonable price on it and offer it one per person/address first come first served keep the subscription open for 6 months and be done with it!

 

if the mintage exceeds the orders melt the overage!

 

michael

[DonHeath]

I like consistency, so I'd prefer to see Lincoln on the $5 gold piece, and Franklin on the cent. "A penny saved is a penny earned". Actually, that's a misquote. The actual quote was "A penny saved is twopence cleared. Franklin's involvement with the design of the first penny (continental currency patterns - 1776) would be a nice historical precedent. It would be an interesting coin. I'd love to see a chain reverse.

[jom]

And by the way, I really liked the Franklin design, much more then Kennedy at least, it's just a shame the series lasted only 15 years.

 

Bah! The Kennedy is far better....the Franklin and the Barber, IMO, win dullard designs of the Century....

 

As to the half eagle comment: God will get you for that.

 

jom

[jtryka]

And by the way, I really liked the Franklin design, much more then Kennedy at least, it's just a shame the series lasted only 15 years.

 

Bah! The Kennedy is far better....the Franklin and the Barber, IMO, win dullard designs of the Century....

 

As to the half eagle comment: God will get you for that.

 

jom

 

Jom, lately you are one of the few people on this board that can make me laugh, keep up the good work!

 

By the way, can you honestly say that the poor imitation of the presidential seal on the reverse of the Kennedy is better than the original designs of the Barber and Frankin? The only thing more boring is putting a building like the Lincoln Memorial or Montecello on the reverse of a coin!