Walking Liberty Half Dollar

The Walking Liberty Half Dollar is celebrated for its beauty and symbolism, and even heavily worn or circulated coins are worth signficantly more than their face value.

The U.S. Mint minted these coins from 1916 to 1947, which features the iconic design Walking Liberty design by Adolph A. Weinman.

All of the half-dollar coins from this era were made from 90% silver, making it both a collector's favorite and a valuable piece for investors.

Design and Specifications

• Obverse (front): Depicts Lady Liberty striding towards the sun, draped in the U.S. flag. Her right hand extended and branches of laurel and oak in her left hand. The word 'LIBERTY' arches above, with 'IN GOD WE TRUST' and the year below.
• Reverse (back): Features a majestic eagle perched on a mountain crag, wings unfolded. A mountain pine sapling grows from the rock. 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' arcs above, with 'HALF DOLLAR' below and 'E PLURIBUS UNUM' to the left.
• Weight: 12.50 grams
• Silver Content: 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver
• Fineness: 90% silver (0.900 fineness)

Mint Marks and Varieties

The Walking Liberty Half Dollar was struck at several U.S. Mints, with the mint mark located on the reverse, below the tree on which the eagle stands.

• Philadelphia (no mint mark): Produced a large number of coins throughout the series' run.
• Denver ('D'): Minted many coins, especially during the later years of the series.
• San Francisco ('S'): Saw many notable low mintages in the early years of the series.

The Most Common Dates vs. Rare Dates

The Walking Liberties minted during the 1940s, particularly from 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944, had higher mintages and saw heavy circulation during and after World War 2, making them more common in the market.

In circulated condition, these coins sell for around their melt value and are often used as bullion investment.

The most sought-after Walkers are those from from earlier years, from 1916 to 1921.

Some of the most valuable coins are the 1916-S, 1921, and 1921-D, which have become particularly scarce in the market.

The 1938-D is another key date, with a notably low mintage.

Various Grades and Values

As with most coins, how much a Walking Liberty Half Dollar is worth depends on its condition or grade, as well as the mint mark and any rarity or scarcity.

Here is a general estimate of the value based on grades for common-date coins (Philadelphia and large mintage years):

The value of coins in higher grades command higher premiums in the market. However, circulated coins that have rare mint marks or are from low mintage years can command prices well into the hundreds or even thousands.

Walking Liberty Half Auctions