Ben Franklin half dollar coin album

I am a new coin collector. I'm building a complete set of franklin's for an album. If I'm understanding right the 1957-1963 half dollar had a proof coin minted in Philadelphia as well as a non proof Philadelphia neither of which have a mint mark.

Is this correct? If so how will I know which non-mint mark coins of those years are the actual proof? Is it just the "shiny" appearance?

The dansco Franklin half dollar album 7165 only has two coins slots for the 57-63. I do not see a coin slot for a proof in those years. Is there a company that makes an album with all three mints?
Any help to this newbie would be appreciated.

 

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Dansco should have an album that has a spot for the proofs.
Also Proofs resumed in 1950. So, each year after has a proof coin.

 

Hi Dustin and welcome to the greatest hobby in the world! I can tell you first hand that a completed Franklin Dansco is a joy to behold... You are correct, it does not make provision for the proofs and Franklin proofs are typically so deep you can bathe in them..... There are a few extra spaces at the end of the book if you wish to add some proofs, but the catalog only addresses business strikes..... It's pretty easy to distinguish a business strike from a proof. Flat and very squared rims are your fist clue and of course the mirror finish..... Good luck on that album. You won't be sorry you filled it.

 

What they said ↑
Welcome to CoinTalk!

 

Thanks for the replies.
Ok, so I guess where I got confused is in the S mint mark. I'm also building a Kennedy half dollar album and in the Kennedy's the S means proof and of course there will also be the S silver proof in Kennedy.
So in franklin's the few years that had S mint mark only means minted in San Francisco but not proof?

I like the dansco albums but find it frustrating there is not a proof slot.
Is there another company say Whitman or otherwise that has an album with proof slots?
Or can I buy blank pages to add in the dansco album?

 

Dansco doesn't make a Franklin album that includes the proofs. Buy a "blank" half dollar page and add it to the album. The 5 blank holes at the end of the standatd album page plus the 20 blank holes on the extra page will give you enough room for the proof coins.

There are 14 proof coins...1950-1963, and you will have 25 blank holes.

 

Get a red book and read it. It will answer all of your questions about Kennedys.

 

Danscos in general don't have separate slots for non-S mint proofs. And San Fran didn't mint proofs until Franklin Halves were done. If you want to include proofs, put them in the P slot.
Your Kennedy album will have slots for the proof-only issues (after 1964 and the SMS issues were over done).

 

Thanks everyone so much. The help is greatly appreciated.

 

Post photos of the Franklin Dansco when you get it done. We love the coin porn around here.

 

Hello Dustin,
And welcome to the Coin Talk discussion group.
May I suggest you purchase some inexpensive cotton (coin) gloves for handling your Franklins when mounting them into your Dansco book. Not so important for the circulated pieces but more so for any Uncirculated or Proof coins you may get.
Happy collecting,
J.T.
Example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/166479680278?

 

Your best and least expensive resource is a R.S. Yeoman Red Book. Welcome to CT and best wishes on building this set. I have three in Whitman’s folders and one in a Dansco album. Franklins are both fun and easy to collect.

 

Welcome to coin collecting and to CT. Coin albums are usually for circulating coins. Proofs are coins made by the mints as a specialty item for collectors and are not meant for circulation. Proof coins have a REALLY strong strike and show all details very clearly. On most proofs, the background or field is usually a mirror that you can see your reflection in. Proof coins should be handled very carefully and you should never touch the surfaces (or with other coins too). Proofs usually stay sealed in some manner. You really should get a Red Book as @Collecting Nut advises.

 

Ok so how bad have I messed up? I started out try to build a set of Kennedy half dollars from coin roll hunting. But I have been purchasing proof mint sets and silver proofs and putting them in my album. Did I ruin the coins? I used latex gloves when doing so.

 

Proof coins do not do well in Dansco albums, long term.

 

My advice is to avoid storing Proof coins in most albums, especially the ones made of cardboard with sliding windows. Proof coins are delicate and are easily damaged by the atmosphere and chemicals from the albums. It’s also easy to put marks on the coins with plastic slides as you pull them in and out.

Certification holders (slabs) and hard plastic holders, like Capital Plastics products, are the best for Proof coins. Proofs are a joy to view, but you should avoid handling them as much as possible.

I have all of the Proof Franklin Half Dollars, but they are Proof sets. The mint issued flat packs from mid 1955 to ‘63 have held up well. The sets in the boxes (1950 to mid 1955) are tricker.

 

Oh I have so much to learn.
I was told by my local coin shop that a long time ago maybe 30 years ago that dansco got into a big law suit over the pvc in their plastic damaging coin collections but when I asked him about using them now he said dansco fixed the problem and I should be fine putting nice coins in the newer albums.
Now I'm confused and somewhat discouraged.

 

Don’t be discouraged. I have had a high grade Franklin set in a Dansco for more than twenty years with no problems, but @johnmilton is correct about proofs. I assembled a presidential dollar set with proofs in a Dansco and sure enough, the proofs have gotten dark over the years. A Dansco is a fine way to display business strikes.

 

Proofs undergo a different minting process that all other coins. Proof coins just don’t do well in albums or folders at all. Best to buy some plastic cases for halves and put them in there.
You can almost put together a decent set of Franklin Halves from search roll of junk silver. There are 2 of them which you will probably have to buy but that’s fine to complete your collection. If it’s been graded by a TPG best to leave it that way.

 

I was wondering my Jefferson Dansco has spots for the Proofs
Why wouldn't the Franklin. I use a Littleton for my Franklins it has spots for the proofs.