Walking Liberty Half Dollars (1916-1947)
The Walking Liberty Half Dollar was struck from 1916 through 1947 and is widely considered one of the most beautiful coins ever produced by the U.S. Mint. Designed by Adolph A. Weinman, it features Liberty striding toward the dawn of a new day, draped in the American flag, carrying branches of laurel and oak as symbols of peace and strength. The reverse shows a majestic eagle perched on a rock, wings partially raised, with a mountain pine sapling at its side.
The coin circulated heavily during both World Wars and the Great Depression, and its artistry was so admired that the obverse design was later reused on the modern American Silver Eagle bullion coin beginning in 1986.
Why Collectors Value It
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Artistic Design: The Walking Liberty is often called the most beautiful U.S. coin.
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Historical Era: It represents a turbulent yet transformative period in American history, spanning World War I, the roaring 1920s, the Depression, and World War II.
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Collectibility: A relatively short series at 31 years, it is challenging but achievable for collectors to pursue by date and mintmark.
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Mintmarks: Produced at Philadelphia (no mintmark), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S).
Key Dates and Rarities
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1916-S: First-year San Francisco issue; scarcer than the Philadelphia and Denver coins.
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1919-D and 1919-S: Both are tough due to low mintages and poor strike quality; especially rare in higher grades.
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1921 (Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco): All three 1921 issues are low-mintage and among the most challenging in the series, particularly the 1921-S, with only 548,000 struck.
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1938-D: The last Denver issue before World War II, with a mintage of just 491,600; a key date in any condition.
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High-Grade Condition Rarities: Even common dates (like many from the 1940s) can be challenging to find with strong strikes and vibrant luster, adding collector depth.
Collector Appeal
Walking Liberty Halves offer something for both beginners and advanced numismatists. Circulated examples are relatively affordable, making them accessible, while high-grade or key-date issues provide challenge and investment value. Many collectors start with a type coin to enjoy the design, while advanced collectors attempt complete date-and-mint sets.
The Walking Liberty Half Dollar (1916–1947) is a masterpiece of U.S. coinage. Collectors are drawn to its artistry, its connection to pivotal decades of American history, and the pursuit of challenging rarities like the 1919-D/S, 1921 series, and 1938-D. Whether as a type coin or a complete set, this series is one of the most rewarding in all of U.S. numismatics