Moondoggys Franklin Proofs Set 1
1959


Obverse
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Reverse
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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Origin/Country: United States
Design Description: HALF DOLLARS - FRANKLIN, PROOF
Item Description: 50C 1959
Grade: NGC PF 67 CAMEO
Owner: moondoggy
 
Winning Set: Moondoggys Franklin Proofs Set 1
Date Added: 4/4/2012
Research: See NGC's Census Report for this Coin

Owner's Description

With a total mintage of 1,149,291 for the year 1959 one would think without much question that finding a gem level cameo would be of little searching effort but alas that is not the case. 1959 is THE toughest of the period 1954 - 1963 to find in Gem Cameo. Far less than 1% of the total mintage exhibited enough cameo contrast on both obverse and reverse to warrant a cameo designation. This is a "KEY" date in the Franklin Proof series. 1959 was the last year the master die would be used for the Franklin series before being reworked for the year 1960. Since this was the case, most of the detail from the master die had been worn off from its first use in 1950 to now. Hence the rarity of finding a gem level cameo or to a greater degree an ultra cameo. "Milk Spots" are still a problem for the1959 as the Mint is still using "Ivory Soap" to clean the planchets in the preparatory stage. The left over residue from this cleaning process accounts for the "Milk Spots" or so it was finally presumed.

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