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Learning about the effect our Founding Fathers had the birth of this nation is important when looking at our currency. Benjamin Franklin played a key role in the nation's independence, beyond establishing the nation as new and succeeding from England. Although he was incredibly instrumental in the creation of the Constitution, Franklin also led the US towards colonial unity. Rightfully earning the title of , "The First American," Franklin campaigned early on for colonial unity while still in England and supported that idea even more when he was the Ambassador to France. He envisioned American as a self-governing, hard-working, educational, community minded country, apart from the authoritarianism that came from England. For many, Franklin was the face of independence and a very prominent leader in the Revolution. It would be a couple of hundred years before Franklin's face would make it onto US currency.
The 1952-S Franklin half dollar is in almost uncirculated condition and contains little to no wear. The San Francisco Mint produced over 5 million half dollars in 1952 and placed their mark on the reverse of every coin. Nellie Tayloe Ross was the Mint Director, from 1933-1953, and held a high admiration for Franklin. She fought to have his face on any US coin for years but it wasn't until the Walking Liberty Half Dollar could be retired that it was actually considered. The Mint Engraver, at the time, John R. Sinnock, had designed a few different Franklin coins in the past and used those as the base for the new design. Sinnock would pass away before the design was finished, but his apprentice was able to complete the Franklin Half Dollar. The obverse displays an older Franklin, with balding hair and reading spectacles. The reverse features a cracked Liberty bell, which was heavily criticized by the Commission of Fine Arts. The Commission was afraid of public ridicule and disapproved the Franklin half dollar but the half dollar was still minted.