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Walking Liberty halves: the half that became the Silver Eagle
Walking Liberty halves (1916–1947) are 90% silver. Common 1940s dates are junk-plus. 1921-P/D/S and a short early list are keys. The same Liberty walk is on the modern American Silver Eagle — that does not make a worn 1944 an Eagle.
A Walking Liberty half is the 50-cent piece with Liberty striding toward a sunrise, struck 1916 through 1947. Weinman again. 90% silver, about 0.3617 troy ounces. Same silver weight as a Franklin or a 1964 Kennedy. 90% silver.
The modern American Silver Eagle reused this walk. An Eagle is one ounce of .999 silver. A Walker is a 90% half dollar. Do not price them the same.
Mint mark
1916 and early 1917: mint mark is on the obverse, under IN GOD WE TRUST. Later 1917 through 1947: mint mark is on the reverse, lower left, under the pine. No letter is Philadelphia. Where is the mint mark?
Common vs the ones we pull
Common 1941–1947 Walkers: junk-plus. Nice original ones add a little. We stop for 1921, 1921-D, 1921-S, plus early low-mintage dates (1916-S, 1917-D and S on the obverse, 1919-D/S, 1921s). A worn 1943-S is not a key.
Extra history
The design won a 1916 contest meant to replace Barber’s leftover 1892 look. Liberty carries oak and laurel. The reverse eagle is Weinman’s, not the later heraldic Eagle on the Gold Eagle. Same walk, different metal and different law.
A Columbian commemorative half in the same box is also 90%. Different series. Sort them.
What a shop pays
A roll of 1940s Walkers: silver bid. Keys: a collector bid on top of the silver. Cleaned, scratched, or holed: melt. Don’t clean. Details grades.
If the same bag has Franklins and 1964 Kennedys, they are the same 90% weight as a Walker. Sort by type only if we are picking dates. Otherwise it is one silver pile. Kennedy halves. Commemorative halves in that bag (Columbian, Stone Mountain) are also 90% — different series, same scale.
A “Walking Liberty dollar” is usually a Silver Eagle. Look at the reverse: HALF DOLLAR vs ONE OUNCE FINE SILVER.
People also ask
Is a Walking Liberty the same as a Silver Eagle? Same picture family. Different coin, different weight, different law.
Are 1916 Walkers all rare? 1916-P is better than a 1944. 1916-S is the one we treat as a date. Look at the mint mark first.
Did they make Walkers in 1948? No. Franklins start in 1948.
Continue in the coin and money library. Related visitor guides: for shop visitors.
Date list: Walker key dates.