By Jay Turner for PCGS ……
The Franklin Mint, founded in 1964 by the late Joseph H. Segel and named after founding father Benjamin Franklin, would go on to leave its mark on numismatics creating coins and medals for countries across the globe. The company eventually found itself in difficult financial situations in the 1990s and was acquired by other companies, including private-equity firms and exchanges.
During the heyday of the Franklin Mint in the 1970s and ’80s, the company produced large product lines of medals along with its popular coinage. Contemporarily, some critics pointed out the loss initial collectors and investors took on the secondary market when selling some of these coins and medals. Today, these coins and medals have found some collector value, and many seem scarce today with the melting of precious metal examples. While the coins have been accepted for certification and grading, the medal issues have recently been added to pieces that PCGS will now certify and grade.
The Franklin Mint would go on to produce other collectibles such as figurines, plates, and other decorative items and replicas. However, it is only the coins and medal issues that will be accepted for certification and grading by PCGS.
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