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Walking Liberty |
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1916-1947
Thomas Woodrow Wilson narrowly won re-election as 28th
president of the United States, campaigning on the slogan, "He
kept us out of war!" Within a few months, American troops
would be heading for Europe after all. Mack Sennett's Keystone
Kops were making millions laugh in the nation's movie houses,
while New York's Wally Pipp was home-run king in baseball's
American League.
The year was 1916, and America was a nation in ferment. It was
a time of transition: from horse and buggy to horseless
carriage ... farms to cities ... domestic tranquility to
foreign entanglement ... peace to war.
Major changes were taking place in United States coinage, too.
Within the previous decade, exciting new designs had debuted
on six different U.S. coins, supplanting the serene, sedate
19th-century portraits that preceded them. And now, in 1916,
three more old-style coins-the Barber silver coins-were
heading for the sidelines as well.
Outside artists not on the staff of the U.S. Mint had
furnished new designs for the six previous changes, and Mint
Director Robert W. Woolley showed his satisfaction by going
outside again. In 1915, he invited three noted sculptors-Hermon
A. MacNeil, Albin Polasek and Adolph A. Weinman, all of New
York City-to prepare designs for the three silver coins,
apparently with the intention of awarding a different coin to
each artist. The Mint may not have planned it this way, but
Weinman ended up getting two of the three coins, the dime and
half dollar, with MacNeil getting the quarter and Polasek
being shut out. It's hard to imagine how Polasek or anyone
else could have improved on the winning entries, though, for
all three of the new coins-the Mercury dime, Standing Liberty
quarter and Walking Liberty half dollar-are magnificent
coinage artworks.
A.A. Weinman was born in Germany but came to the United States
at the age of ten in 1880. He honed his skills as a student of
the famed Augustus Saint-Gaudens and, by 1915, he was widely
acclaimed as one of the nation's finest sculptors.
For the obverse of his design, Weinman chose a full-length
figure of Liberty striding toward the dawn of a new day, clad
in the Stars and Stripes and carrying branches of laurel and
oak symbolizing civil and military glory. The reverse depicts
a majestic eagle perched on a mountain crag, wings unfolded in
a pose suggesting power, with a sapling of mountain
pine-symbolic of America-springing from a rift in the rock.
These strongly patriotic themes resonated perfectly across a
nation then preparing to enter World War I, ironically against
the land of Weinman's birth. Weinman placed his initials (AW)
directly under the eagle's tailfeathers.
Unlike the other two Barber coins, the Barber half dollar
wasn't produced in 1916. Even so, the Mint delayed release of
the new Walking Liberty coin until late November. It drew
immediate praise. The New York Sun, for instance, pronounced
it a "lively" coin, typifying "hustle," while the Boston
Herald said it had a "forward look on its face."
First-year coins from the branch mints in Denver and San
Francisco carry the "D" or "S" mintmark on the obverse, below
IN GOD WE TRUST, as do some pieces minted the following year.
Partway through production in 1917, the mintmarks' location
was moved to the lower left of the reverse, just below the
sapling, and that's where it remained until the series ended
in 1947.
Over 485 million Walking Liberty halves were made between 1916
and 1947, but they were issued only sporadically during the
1920s and early '30s, none being minted in 1922, 1924-26 and
1930-32. These were coins with substantial buying power,
enough to buy a loaf of bread, a quart of milk and a dozen
eggs in the early '30s, so it didn't take huge quantities to
fill Americans' needs, especially after the Wall Street crash
plunged the nation into the Great Depression.
Mintages were particularly low in 1921, and the P, D and S
half dollars from that year all rank among the major keys of
the series. Other scarce issues include the 1916, 1916-S,
1917-D and S (with the mintmarks on the obverse) and 1938-D.
Brilliant proofs were minted from 1936 to 1942, totaling
74,400 pieces, and a very few satin-finish proofs were struck
in 1916 and '17.
"Walkers," as they're frequently called, are large,
precious-metal coins with a much-admired design. As a result,
they hold great appeal not only for traditional hobbyists but
also for non-collectors. Many exist in grades up to Mint
State-65. Even above that level, significant numbers exist for
certain dates, particularly the later years. Most dates,
however, come weakly struck, particularly on Liberty's left
hand and leg, head and skirt lines and on the eagle's breast
and leg feathers. Sharply struck coins often command
substantial premiums. In an attempt to improve the striking
characteristics of the design, some minor modifications were
made by Chief Engraver George T. Morgan in 1918 and again by
Assistant Engraver John R. Sinnock in 1937 and 1938. None of
the revisions seemed to help, as even later issues are often
weak in the central parts of the design. Places to check for
wear include Liberty's head, breast, arms and left leg and the
breast, leg and forward wing of the eagle.
A full set consists of 65 different date-and-mint combinations
but is attempted and completed by many collectors. Although
Walkers were not saved in any quantity by the public,
particularly in the Depression years, professional
numismatists like Wayte Raymond and others put away many early
rolls during the '30s. Uncirculated specimens of certain dates
in the 1910s and '20s are probably only available today due to
the foresight of these astute dealers. Later-date Walkers also
have a strong following: many collectors assemble "short sets"
from 1934 to 1947 or 1941 to '47. Type collectors just seek a
single, high-grade example.
The Franklin half dollar succeeded the Walker in 1948. But 38
years later, in 1986, Uncle Sam dusted off the Weinman design
for the obverse of the one-ounce American Eagle silver bullion
coin, which has been minted annually ever since.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Diameter: 30.6 millimeters
Weight: 12.50 grams
Composition: .900 silver, .100 copper
Edge: Reeded
Weight: .36169 ounce pure silver
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1935
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1939
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1940 Proof
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1941
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1942
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1942-S
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1943
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1944
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1945
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1946
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1947
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1947-D
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1937-P SILVER WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR AU/BU
SCARCE!!! 1917-S Walking Liberty Silver Half Dollar (G)
1939-P SILVER WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR AU/BU
SCARCE!!! 1917 Walking Liberty Silver Half Dollar (VG)
1943-P SILVER WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR AU/BU
1939-D US Walking Liberty Silver Half Dollar (VF+)
1942 walking liberty half dollar
1941 Walking Liberty Half Dollar Silver Coin
1933-S- WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR
1935 P WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR - NICE HIGH END
1939 D WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR - NICE HIGH END AU
1938 WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR
1941 Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollar very nice coin
1942 Liberty Walking Half Dollar FREE Ship!
1947 WALKING LIBERTY SILVER HALF DOLLAR US COIN BU UNC
1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar
United States Currency 8 Walking Liberty Half Dollars
1942 WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR
Intercept Shield Walking Liberty Half Dollars Album
Littleton Liberty Walking Half Dollar 1916-1947 Album
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