2017-09-01 Fri

A 1959 Franklin Half Dollar, graded Proof 69 Cameo from the Blue Ocean Collection was sold for $15,862.50 by Heritage Auctions at ANA World’s Fair of Money Platinum Night auction on 2nd August. Only about 12 issues of the Proof Franklin half dollar series are known. Only 1 percent of 1.1 million Proof 1959 half dollars feature Cameo contrast.

The offered coin is the only Proof 69 Cameo example graded by PCGS, with one Deep Cameo piece in this grade certified. Less than 20 Deep Cameo submissions were graded Proof 65 or finer, making the offered variety extremely rare.

The 1952 half dollar is not found in Deep Cameo contrast very often. An example graded PCGS Proof 68 Cameo with a CAC sticker sold for $14,100. These coins rarely feature contrast on both sides, like the offered coin.