1960 Proof

Collectors ordering proof sets in 1960 helped push the year's Franklin Half Dollar mintage to 1,691,602 pieces, continuing the steady expansion of the Mint's collector program through the early 1960s. The composition remained 90% silver and 10% copper at 12.50 grams, with the reeded edge and 30.61 mm diameter that defined the half dollar denomination since 1853. Philadelphia struck every example, and the coins emerged from dies that had benefited from another year of refinement in the proof preparation room.

One feature distinguishing 1960 from earlier dates is the broader availability of Deep Cameo examples in absolute terms, even though they remain a small percentage of the certified population. PCGS and NGC reports both show meaningful inventory at the PR-67 Deep Cameo level, though PR-68 Deep Cameo and finer remain genuine condition rarities. Authentication for the year is straightforward but worth doing carefully: the weight standard is 12.50 grams plus or minus tolerance, the edge should show clean unbroken reeds, and the mirror fields should hold reflectivity all the way to the rim without the soft, almost satin texture that suggests an impaired surface. Brilliant proofs without contrast continue to trade close to bullion-plus-modest-premium levels, while contrast designations create the meaningful price tiers. Full Bell Lines is not awarded on proof Franklins regardless of how sharp the lower bell lines appear.

For collectors building a Franklin proof type set or pursuing the full date run, the 1960 issue offers an attainable entry into Deep Cameo collecting without the prices that later condition-rare years can demand. The Franklin proof program ran continuously at Philadelphia from 1950 through 1963, spanning the post-war proof revival through the design's final year, and modern collectors typically pursue the complete date-and-variety run including the 1956 Type 1/Type 2 hub pair and the 1961 Doubled Die Reverse for a comprehensive set. To see how die work and Mint priorities shaped each year of the run, see the Franklin Half Dollar series history.