<ARTICLE>                     6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY INFORMATION FROM FORM
10-K FOR THE PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND IS QUALIFIED
IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

</LEGEND>
<CIK>                        0000812301
<NAME>                       THE FRANKLIN HOLDING CORPORATION (DELAWARE)
<MULTIPLIER>                 1000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                           YEAR               
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                       DEC-31-1997  
<PERIOD-START>                          JAN-1-1997         
<PERIOD-END>                            DEC-31-1997        
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                   4168               
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                  6833               
<RECEIVABLES>                           330                
<ASSETS-OTHER>                          555                
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                    0                  
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          7718               
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                0                  
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                 0                  
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>               375                
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                     375                
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                         0                  
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                8118               
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                   801                
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                   801                
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>               (3440)             
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                  0                  
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                 0                  
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                0                  
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                2666               
<NET-ASSETS>                            7343               
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                       2                  
<INTEREST-INCOME>                       226                
<OTHER-INCOME>                          269                
<EXPENSES-NET>                          2401               
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                 (1904)             
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                3313               
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>               (1338)             
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                   70                 
<EQUALIZATION>                          0                  
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>               0                  
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                0                  
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                   2604               
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                 0                  
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>             0                  
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                     0                  
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                  (2633)             
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                 (2246)             
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>               0                  
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>              0                  
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                 0                  
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                   0                  
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                      0                  
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                         2401               
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                    8289               
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                   12.33              
<PER-SHARE-NII>                         (2.37)             
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                 2.46               
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                    0.00               
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>               3.25               
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                    0.00               
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                     9.17               
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                         28.97              
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                  0                  
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                    0.00