1955 Franklin Half Dollar - Bugs Bunny - PCGS MS64

The answer is no, but they did inadvertently create an Franklin Half Dollar affectionately called the "Bugs Bunny" error. Best known for his starring roles in Looney Tunes, Bugs Bunny is famous for his New York accent, portrayal as a trickster, and his signature buckteeth. He has appeared in more films than any other cartoon character. Bugs Bunny even has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He's so beloved, that even coin collectors named an error after him that can be found on the 1955 Franklin Half Dollar ... and ours are in incredibly rare MS64 condition!

In 1955, a single die clash started the tale of one of the most popular U.S. coin errors & varieties. A coin is struck when two dies come together on a coin-planchet. If the planchet is misfed into the machine it can get stuck and the dies then deliver a strike in its absence ... this is when a "clash" occurs. Usually, the clash destroys both of the dies. However in 1955 one of the obverse dies actually survived and continued to strike coins for circulation. It created a buck toothed Ben Franklin Half Dollar.

The Eagle on the reverse left an imprint or mark on the obverse or face of Franklin. Over time the name for this special die-clash changed until one finally stuck, and it was the looniest of the bunch! This error-coin became known as the Bugs Bunny, a nod to the buckteeth for which Bugs Bunny is known for and that Franklin now had!

The Franklin was issued between 1948 and 1963, and the lowest mintage in the series was 1955. They struck just 2,498,181 Franklins that year, with an even smaller number of them having the sought-after Bugs Bunny die-clash! When you check reports from the major grading companies (PCGS) only 1 in every 3,599 are known in MS64 condition or better!