Half Dollar · 1916–1947

Walking Liberty Half Dollar

A full-length Liberty striding toward a rising sun, draped in an American flag with her arm outstretched. A bold eagle perched on a mountain crag with wings partly raised, a mountain pine sapling in front of it.

Designer

Adolph A. Weinman

Diameter

30.6 mm

Edge

Reeded

Mint mark

Reverse (back), lower left near the rim — except 1916 and some 1917 coins, where it sits on the obverse below the motto

Composition

1916–1947: 90% silver, 10% copper · 12.5 g Silver

Did you know? Weinman's striding Liberty was so loved that the U.S. Mint brought it back in 1986 for the American Silver Eagle bullion coin, still made today.

Beginner tip: Check the mint mark in two places: 1916 and part of 1917 carry it on the front below IN GOD WE TRUST, and the obverse-mint-mark 1917 coins are worth a premium.

Key dates to look for

1916 Walking Liberty

$60+ in Good condition

First-year issue that everyone wants

1916-S Walking Liberty

$100+ in Good condition

Low mintage first-year key with the mint mark on the front

1921 Walking Liberty

$175+ in Good condition

Only 246,000 struck — a true key date

1921-D Walking Liberty

$300+ in Good condition

Lowest mintage of the whole series at 208,000

1921-S Walking Liberty

$100+ in Good, $10,000+ uncirculated

Cheap when worn but famously rare in high grade

1938-D Walking Liberty

$75+ in Good condition

Late-series key with under half a million struck

Valuable varieties & errors

1946 Doubled Die Reverse

scarce

$25 – $600+

A misaligned hubbing at the Philadelphia Mint doubled the reverse lettering. It is the best-known doubled die of the Walking Liberty series and is collected alongside the regular date.

How to check: With a loupe, examine E PLURIBUS UNUM and HALF DOLLAR on the back. On the doubled die the letters show clear separated doubling, strongest on E PLURIBUS UNUM, not just flat shelf-like doubling from machine bounce.

Error types found on this series

Doubled Die (Reverse)

Same as a doubled die obverse, but the doubling appears on the back of the coin.

Repunched Mint Mark (RPM)

The mint mark was punched into the die more than once, slightly off position, leaving a doubled letter.

Die Crack

A crack in the die fills with metal during the strike, leaving a thin raised line on the coin.

Lamination Error

A thin layer of the coin's metal peels, flakes, or cracks off because the alloy was poorly mixed.

Real photos where available (credits); others are illustrations.

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