Walking Liberty Half-Dollar

In 1915, US Mint Director, Robert W. Woolley, invited notable sculptors to design the templates for three silver coins: the Mercury Dime, the Standing Liberty Quarter, and the Walking Liberty Half Dollar. Sculptor Adolph A. Weinman was awarded the work for the dime and the half dollar. The Walking Liberty Half Dollar also became known as “Liberty Walking” and “Walker.”
Weinman immigrated to the US from Germany in 1880 at the young age of 10. He studied under Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the renowned designer of the $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Piece (one of America’s most beautiful coins.)

Walking Liberty Half-Dollar Design – The front side of the coin depicts a cloaked Lady Liberty walking toward the sunshine of a new day. She carries olive branches in her arms. “IN GOD WE TRUST” is imprinted at the lower right of the coin. Walking Liberty Half Dollars are the last of the regular-issue silver coins featuring Lady Liberty. Later, the US Mint copied the prestigious design for the Silver American Eagle bullion coin.
The back side of the coin displays the American bald eagle perched on a rock with olive branches under his talons. Weinman’s initials, AAW, are imprinted beneath the eagle’s wing. The mint mark that signifies the city where the coin was struck is located just below the branch. For earlier coins before 1917, the mint mark was located on the front side of the coin under “IN GOD WE TRUST.”

Walking Liberty Half-Dollar Minting – Walking Liberty Half Dollars were minted 1916-1947 (except for 1922, and between 1924-1926 and 1930-1932). These silver half dollars are comprised of 90% silver and 10% copper, a net silver content of 0.36169 oz.

COIN SPECIFICATIONS