How to Identify the Walking Liberty Half Dollar

What It Is

The Walking Liberty Half Dollar was struck by the U.S. Mint from 1916 to 1947 and is widely considered one of the most artistically admired American coin designs, created by sculptor Adolph A. Weinman. Its obverse design was later reused on the modern American Silver Eagle, a testament to the lasting popularity of the striding Liberty motif nearly seventy years after the half dollar series ended.

Obverse (Front)

The obverse shows a full-length figure of Liberty striding toward the sunrise, draped in an American flag, carrying branches of laurel and oak in her left arm, with her right arm extended. "LIBERTY" arcs across the top, "IN GOD WE TRUST" is at the right, and the date sits at the lower right.

Reverse (Back)

The reverse depicts an eagle perched on a rocky crag, wings partly spread, with a mountain pine sapling growing beside it. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" arcs above, "HALF DOLLAR" is below, and "E PLURIBUS UNUM" runs vertically alongside the eagle.

Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge

The coin measures 30.6 mm in diameter and weighs 12.5 grams, struck in 90% silver and 10% copper. The edge is reeded.

Mint Marks

On coins from 1916 through part of 1917, the mint mark appears on the obverse, below the "IN GOD WE TRUST" motto and near Liberty's leading foot. From mid-1917 onward, the mint mark moved to the reverse, near the lower left, beside the "HALF DOLLAR" inscription. No letter indicates Philadelphia; "D" is Denver and "S" is San Francisco.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

The striding Liberty design is distinctive and not easily confused with other U.S. half dollars, such as the earlier Barber Half Dollar (a bust-only Liberty head) or the later Franklin Half Dollar (a portrait of Benjamin Franklin) that replaced it in 1948. The mint mark's changing location (obverse to reverse) can help roughly date an early example even before reading a worn date.

Grading at a Glance

Check the definition in Liberty's skirt lines and the drapery of the flag for sharpness, along with the feather detail on the eagle's breast and wing. Wear first appears on Liberty's head, breast, and outstretched leg, and on the eagle's breast and top edge of the wing.

Authenticity Red Flags

Certain dates, such as 1916, 1921, and 1938-D, are more valuable and more often targeted for counterfeiting or alteration. Look for a mint mark that appears added, re-punched, or in a font style inconsistent with genuine coins of that date, along with a strike that seems too soft or a surface with unnatural graininess suggesting a cast copy. A weight or diameter that deviates from specification is also a clear red flag. Because genuine coins carry a reeded edge, one that is smooth, unevenly spaced, or shows tool marks from an added edge treatment should raise immediate suspicion.