<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                     6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY INFORMATION FROM FORM
10-K FOR THE PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 AND IS QUALIFIED
IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

</LEGEND>
<CIK>                        0000812301
<NAME>                       THE FRANKLIN HOLDING CORPORATION (DELAWARE)
<MULTIPLIER>                 1000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                           YEAR               
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                       DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                          JAN-1-1998
<PERIOD-END>                            DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                   3063               
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                  4428               
<RECEIVABLES>                           179                
<ASSETS-OTHER>                          1944                
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                    0                  
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          6549               
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                0                  
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                 0                  
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>               233               
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                     233                
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                         0                  
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                7835               
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                   751                
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                   801                
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>               (6024)             
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                  0                  
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                 2855             
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                0                  
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                1650               
<NET-ASSETS>                            6316               
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                       0                  
<INTEREST-INCOME>                       34                
<OTHER-INCOME>                          229                
<EXPENSES-NET>                          1620               
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                 (1357)             
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                1628               
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>               (1015)             
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                   (744)                 
<EQUALIZATION>                          0                  
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>               0                  
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                0                  
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                   0               
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                 0                  
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>             51                  
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                     0                  
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                  (744)             
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                 (4667)             
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>               1227                  
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>              0                  
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                 0                  
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                   0                  
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                      0                  
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                         1620               
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                    0               
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                   9.17              
<PER-SHARE-NII>                         (1.71)             
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                 0.77               
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                    0.00               
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>               0.00               
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                    (0.18)               
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                     8.41              
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                         23.73              
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                  0                  
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                    0.00               
        

</TABLE>