Benjamin Franklin was born 300 years ago in 1706. He became one of America’s greatest scientists and statesmen, and he’s revered as one of the original “founding fathers.” To celebrate his 300th anniversary, the U.S. Mint took the unusual step of minting two commemorative Silver Dollars. One shows Franklin conducting his famous kite experiment to prove that lightning was electricity, while the other depicts Franklin as a wise statesman. The coins sold out within weeks at the U.S. Mint, but we were able to secure a small supply before they were all gone.