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Ben Franklin’s cracked gravestone repaired in Philadelphia

FILE – Members of the public visit the grave of Benjamin Franklin and his wife, Deborah, in Philadelphia Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006. (JACQUELINE LARMA / AP)
FILE – Members of the public visit the grave of Benjamin Franklin and his wife, Deborah, in Philadelphia Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006. (JACQUELINE LARMA / AP)

PHILADELPHIA – Repairs are complete on Benjamin Franklin’s damaged gravestone in Philadelphia.

KYW-TV reports Christ Church will hold an unveiling Tuesday of the repairs on the grave that holds Franklin and his wife, Deborah.

Caretaker John Hopkins says a crack that had developed in the marble slab was pinned and sealed and the granite base fixed to prevent more damage.

The $80,000 repair was paid for largely with grants, a GoFundMe page and pennies visitors have tossed on the grave for years. The coins are a tribute to the adage “A penny saved, is a penny earned,” which is often erroneously attributed to Franklin.

Rocker Jon Bon Jovi and his wife donated $5,000 to help fund the repairs.

Franklin, who died in 1790, is one of seven signers of the Declaration of Independence buried across from Independence Mall.