The Franklin Liberty Half Dollar is a 1st in US Mint Franklin is the ONLY non-president to appear on a circulating US coin. It wadesign history. s one of the most popular issues ever released by the US Mint. It was replaced due to the tragic death of president Kennedy in 1964. The Franklin Liberty Half Dollar was issued between 1948 and 1963. It weighs 12.5 grams of .900 fine silver, with a diameter of 30.6 mm ... a net silver content of .36169 ounces. It was struck at three US Mints: Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco. The obverse is the portrait of Franklin while the reverse shows the Liberty Bell.