Although a few satin proofs have been rumored to exist for 1916 and 1917, the first true Proof Walking Liberty Half Dollars were struck for collectors in 1936. This began a brief era of proof coin production, which continued until 1942. Proof coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint and sold to collectors individually by denomination or as part of a complete annual proof set.

During the period of issuance, production levels increased for each subsequent year. Thus, the lowest mintage occurred for the 1936 Proof Walking Liberty Half Dollar at 3,901 pieces, while the highest mintage occurred for the 1942 at 21,120. Although these figures are extremely low when compared to the production levels for circulation strikes, the proof coins were generally purchased by collectors and dealers and retained within collections. This preserved a large portion of the mintage for future generations.

Striking characteristics for the proof Walking Liberty Half Dollars are generally strong, with only minor weakness noted in select areas on some coins. More often detail is lost as a result of excessive polishing of the dies, which can eliminate details such as Liberty’s hand and the rays of the sun. For 1940 and 1941, excessive polishing resulted in the the designer’s initials “AW” being removed from some coins. The “no AW” variety is believed to be scarcer, but not all collectors are aware of the varieties.

Hairlines are a persistent problem for these early proof coins, often clearly visible because of the reflective fields. Pieces exhibiting cameo contrast are in the distinct minority, and command a significant premium when they are available.

Proof Walking Liberty Half Dollar Mintages

All Walking Liberty Half Dollars struck between 1916 and 1947 were made from a composition of 90% silver and 10% copper. When in uncirculated condition, these half dollars should weigh 12.50 grams (193 grains) with a diameter of 30.6 mm. All coins are struck on planchets with a reeded edge.

The Walking Liberty Half Dollar was produced at the Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco Mints. During 1916 and 1917, mint marks appeared on the obverse of the coin, below the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST”. During the year 1917, the mint mark was moved to the reverse of the coin, on the lower edge, between the rock and the rim of the coin. For that year, pieces were struck with either the mint mark on the obverse or the reverse, creating a total of four different branch mint issues.

Dates: 1916 – 1947
Mint Mark: none (Philadelphia), D (Denver), S (San Francisco)
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Weight: 12.50 grams
Diameter: 30.6 mm
Edge: Reeded
Designer: Adolph A. Weinman

The mintage figures for the Walking Liberty Half Dollar varied over the course of the series. The mintage low occurred with the 1921-D at 208,000 coins, and the mintage high occurred in 1943 when 53,190,000 coins were minted in Philadelphia.

There were a total of nine different issues with a mintage of less than one million. These coins carry premiums at all grade levels. Most of the higher mintages occurred in the 1940′s. There were fifteen different issues with a mintage of over 10 million.

The table below shows the mintage figures for all circulation strike issues of the Walking Liberty Half Dollar series.