1962 Half Dollar Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
Do you have a 1962 Franklin half-dollar, or are you looking to add this coin to your collection?
Benjamin Franklin was among the most popular and prolific founding fathers. Not only did he play an important role in helping to draft the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Franklin was also a renowned inventor, scientist and publisher.
Unsurprisingly, the Franklin half-dollar is one of the most sought-after silver coins and is an excellent addition to your coin collection.
You’ve come to the right place if you are curious about your 1962 half-dollar value. In this article, you will find out just how much is your 1962 half-dollar. You will also learn about the coin’s fascinating history, notable features, and errors that might be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.
So, let’s get started!
1962 Half Dollar Value Chart |
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| Mint mark | Fine | Good | Extremely Fine | Uncirculated |
| 1962 No Mint mark Half Dollar value | $9 | $9.25 | $9.50 | $1,900 |
| 1962-D Half Dollar Value | $9 | $9 | $9.50 | $1,130 |
| 1962 Proof Half Dollar Value | – | – | – | $9,200 |
1962 Half Dollar Value Guides
In this section, we’ll answer the question: how much is a 1962 half dollar worth? If you are curious about the value of your silver Franklin dollars, the following value guide will explain everything you need to know.
There are three varieties of the half dollars from 1962. These include:
- The 1962 No-mintmark half dollar
- The 1962-D half dollar
- 1962 proof half dollar
Let’s find out the value of each coin.
1962 Non-Mint mark Half Dollar Value
The Philadelphia mint struck 9,714,000 Franklin half dollars in 1962. These are a lot of coins, and most were released into circulation, so finding a half dollar from this year is generally easy.
The coins struck at the Philadelphia mint that year were generally of poor quality due to the use of old and worn dies. Therefore, Circulated coins will typically be worn out, with examples showing the full bell lines (FBL) in this condition.
Even in gem condition, there are very few examples with the FBL feature. In addition to the poor quality strike, trading coins in bags also contributed to the abrasion we see on many of the 1962 half dollars.
As mentioned, these coins are plentiful in circulated condition. A 1962 Franklin half dollar in circulated condition will fetch about $9 in good condition. At about uncirculated condition, which is nearly but not quite mint state, the coin is valued at around $11.50, which is several times more than face value.
In mint state (MS) 60, you can pick up a neat 1962 half-dollar for $16, but the value can shoot up to $1,050 for a coin in gem condition at grade MS66.
According to the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), the highest valued 1962-P half dollar is graded MS61 and sold for $5,463 in 2010.
1962-D Half Dollar Value
Half dollars from the Denver mint have a mintmark D on the reverse. An estimated 35,473,000 of these coins were struck, making the 1962-D the second highest in the Franklin half dollar series.
Due to the high mintage, you can easily pick up a nice example at a low cost. But, coins graded MS66 or more are rare and attract a high premium.
Even more scarce is a 1962-D half dollar with FBL designation, with fewer than 1000 examples graded MS65 available in the open marketplace. Fewer than two dozen graded MS66 FBL, and no known examples exist above MS66 FBL.
You can obtain a nice 1962-D Franklin half dollar in circulated condition for $9.50 in extra fine (XF) condition and about $11.50 for one graded About Uncirculated (AU).
In MS60, you can obtain it for $18, but the value can go as high as $1130 for a coin-graded MS66. But, the finest known example of the 1962-D half dollar is graded MS65 and was sold for $6,463 in 2014 at an auction.
1962 Proof Half Dollar Value
This date broke the record with its comparably massive mintage of proof coins. About 3, 218,019 proofs were minted at the Philadelphia presses, the largest number in the entire Franklin series.
Proof half dollars from this year are common in all grades up to PF 69. There is a sizeable population of Certified Cameo and Ultra Cameo examples.
In particular, in Cameo condition, many examples exist up to PF67, and anything higher becomes scarce. Starting PF66 or Deep Cameo, the number is significantly scarce in PF67 Deep Cameo. Less than a dozen known examples exist in PF69.
With $20, you can get your hands on a 1962 half dollar proof graded PF60. At PF65, these coins fetch as much as $47.50 and up to $500 for PF69.
The finest graded half dollar proof from 1962 is graded PF69 and sold for $765. A Cameo graded PR69 fetched $4,600 while an Ultra Cameo graded PF69 was auctioned for $9,200.
Related Posts: 26 Most Valuable Half Dollar Coins In Circulation
1962 Half Dollar Errors
Mint-related errors can increase the value of your coin. But, this will depend on the type of error, its size, and positioning. Errors such as doubled die and repunched mintmark are of interest to collectors and can attract a premium price.
Let’s look at the errors that appear on the 1962 Franklin halves.
1962 Half Dollar Double Die Obverse Error
Doubled die errors occur when the working hub and die are misaligned, either during single hubbing or in the course of a first and subsequent hubbing.
This misalignment causes the design elements on the coin to appear doubled. The more extreme the doubling, the more value the error adds to the coin.
Doubled die obverse error coins can fetch as much as $312 in PF68.
1962 Half Dollar D on Bell Error
The D on Bell is a rare error in which an impression of the letter D appears on the bell’s upper part. This error is typically not easily visible, and you might need a coin microscope to identify the impression.
The finest known example, graded PR68, was auctioned for $400. A cameo graded PF67 sold for $1,300, while a Deep Cameo was auctioned for $720 at grade 66.
1962 Half Dollar Repunched Mint Mark Error
A repunched mintmark error happens when the working dies creates at least two overlapping impressions of the mintmark.
The second mintmark is typically subtler compared to the original one. Several factors can cause a repunched mintmark; for example, failing to place the letter punch correctly over the original mintmark or when the letter punch bounces and lightly returns onto the punched letter.
In addition, failing to hold a letter punch vertically can cause it to bounce and create a secondary impression over the original one. Trying to correct an initially misaligned mintmark by punching the correctly-positioned mintmark.
1962 Half Dollar Bugs Bunny Error
The Bugs Bunny is a common error in the Franklin halves coin series. It is actually a type of obverse die clash error in which the reverse design gets imprinted on the obverse when the reverse and obverse die clash.
In the Franklin half dollars, including the 1962 coins, the eagle’s wings on the reverse are impressed on the obverse, specifically on Franklin’s face, making him look like he has buck teeth.
Despite it being a popular error, you would still need a coin microscope to spot the buck teeth.
According to the PCGS, the most expensive 1962 half dollar Bugs Bunny error coin is graded MS65 and sold at $300, while one Full Bell Line graded MS64 fetched $1,925.
Related Posts: 17 Most Valuable Kennedy Half Dollar Worth Money
The History of the 1962 Half Dollar
The 1962 half dollar belongs to the Franklin coin series struck between 1948 and 1963. The United States Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross was a long-time Franklin admirer who wanted him commemorated on a coin.
In 1947, Ross asked chief mint engraver John r. Sinnock to create designs the Mint would use to produce a Franklin half dollar. Sinnock began preparing designs for the coin based on sculptures he had completed earlier, but the engraver died before he could complete the designs. Instead, Sinnock’s successor, Gilroy Roberts, took over and completed the designs.
Ross presented the designs to the Commission of Fine Arts. The Commission was unimpressed with the original design, pointing out the small eagle was out of place and that the crack on the Liberty Bell on the reverse would water down the coin’s historical, sentimental, and aesthetic value.
Despite the criticism, the Mint went ahead and used Sinnock’s designs. For attribution purposes, the Mint included John Sinnock’s initials, JRS, on the coin’s obverse. The decision to do so was a great controversy as rumors spread that the initials stood for Joseph Stalin, the Soviet dictator. After clarifying the letters were Sinnock’s initials, the Mint went ahead and struck the coins.
The Mint struck the half dollar until 1963, after which the Kennedy half dollar replaced it following the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
The 1962 half dollar was the second last issue in the Franklin half dollar coin series. That year, only the Philadelphia and Denver mints produced the half dollar. Today, the 1962 Franklin half dollar is more valuable for its historical and sentimental significance than its face or bullion value.
Related Posts: 18 Most Valuable Franklin Half Dollars Worth Money
How to Identify the 1962 Half Dollar?
Let’s now look at the characteristics of the half dollar from 1962. As a new collector, it is important to know what to look for to determine whether your Franklin a half dollar is worth more than face value.
The Obverse of the 1962 Half Dollar
The obverse is the top side of a coin, also known as the heads. The obverse of the 1962 half dollar features the right-facing and smiling portrait of Benjamin Franklin with his flowing should-length hair.
The word LIBERTY appears around the coin’s top edge while the motto: IN GOD WE TRUST, is etched around the lower edge. The date, 1962, appears on the right, adjacent to Franklin’s throat.
The Reverse of the 1962 Half Dollar
The reverse, also known as the tail, is a coin’s back side. On the 1962 half dollar, the reverse features the Liberty Bell. Horizontal bands appear around the head and skirt of the bell; these bands are known as the Full Bell Lines in the numismatic world and can determine a coin’s value.
A small portrait of the balding eagle with its wings spread out appears on the right, while the motto E PLURIBUS ENUM is etched on the left.
Around the top of the coin are the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA while the coin’s denomination, ONE DOLLAR, appears around the bottom edge.
Other Features of the 1962 Half Dollar
Like others in the series, the 1962 half dollar is made from 90 percent silver and 10 percent.
The coin weighs 12.59 grams and measures 30.00 millimetres in diameter. It has a reeded edge.
The Philadelphia and Denver mints produced half dollar coins in 1962. The silver coins minted in Philadelphia do not have a mintmark, while those from Denver feature a mintmark on the reverse right above the Liberty Bell.
What makes a 1962 half dollar rare?
About 45 million half dollars were minted between the Denver and Philadelphia presses in 1962, making this one of the highest mintage dates in the Franklin halves series. As such, 1962 halves are not rare; you can still get your hands on some uncirculated coins for a fair price. But the presence of full bell lines makes a 1962 half dollar rare. Very few examples exist of this date’s half dollars with full and visible bell lines. You can sell it for a small fortune if you get one showing the full bell lines.
Is the 1962 half dollar silver?
Yes, all Franklin half dollars, including the ones struck in 1962, are 90% silver and 10% copper. However, the silver quantity in coins is very small and will not fetch more than face value.
Is a 1962 Benjamin Franklin half dollar worth anything?
The 1962 half dollar value is worth more than face value, which is a good signal for any collector. Depending on the coin’s condition, you can buy or sell your Franklin dollars for between $9 and $12 or more. High graded half dollars from 1962 are rare, but they can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.