The 'Bugs Bunny' Franklin Half Dollars are some of the most popular error coins in United States Mint history -- and we have one of the rarest of the bunch!
In 1961, the Philadelphia Mint would end up striking 8,290,000 total Uncirculated Franklin Half Dollars -- this huge production schedule meant that the machines and coin dies would wear down quickly, and that increases the likelihood of a (now famous) mistake being made.
When a planchet is misfed into the machine, it can get stuck and the dies then deliver a strike in its absence -- this is when the die 'clash' occurs. Usually, the clash destroys both of the dies. However, in 1961, one of the obverse dies actually survived and continued to strike coins for circulation. It created a 'buck toothed' Ben Franklin Half Dollar -- similar to those that famously were created in 1956!
The eagle on the reverse left an imprint, or mark, on the obverse 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 and that Franklin now had.
These error coins are RARE today in any condition at all -- and nearly impossible to find in MS65 condition or better:
As of 04-04-2024, NGC has certified just 36 total coins with this error strike -- and of those, only 26 of them are in NGC MS64 or better condition!
That breaks down to just 1 in every 318,846 coins struck!
Just 0.000003% of the entire 1961-P Mintage!
Each coin will arrive certified by NGC as being an authentic Error Strike in MS64 condition.
