| Walking
Liberty Half Dollar |
|
|
| Obverse |
Reverse |
Description
In 1915, United States Mint Director Robert W. Woolley
welcomed three noted sculptors to design templates
for three silver coins that would become the Mercury
dime, the Standing Liberty quarter, and the Walking
Liberty half-dollar (also referred to as "Liberty
Walking", or "Walker" for short). A.
A. Weinman was awarded the designs for both the dime
and the half-dollar.
Design
The obverse depicts Lady Liberty cloaked in Old Glory
walking towards a new day. She carries branches of
laurel and oak in her arms. The motto "IN GOD
WE TRUST" rests to the right of her calf. The
Walking Liberty half-dollars are the last regular
issue coins to feature Miss Liberty, although the
U.S. Mint decided to copy the design for its Silver
American Eagle bullion coins.
The reverse
features an American bald eagle with wings spread
proudly. Weinman’s initials, AAW, can be found
under its wing tip. It rests on a rocky crag with
mountain pine sapling springing from its cracks. The
Mint Mark signifying the city where these coins were
struck are located just below the pine sapling for
all coins struck after 1917 (for the first year and
a half, it was located on the obverse under the motto).
Minting
Information
Walking Liberty half-dollars were minted from 1916
until 1947, except for 1922 and between the years
of 1924-26 and 1930-32. These half-dollars span 30.6
millimeters in diameter and have a weight of 12.50
grams. Composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, each
Walker contains a net weight of 0.36169 ounces.
A.A.
Weinman
Adolph A. Weinman immigrated to the United States
from Germany in 1880 at the age of ten. He studied
under the tutelage of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, designer
of the $20 Saint-Gaudens gold piece, (often considered
America's most beautiful coin). It is interesting
to note that the designs for the gold and silver
bullion coins of the United States were taken
from designs created by teacher and pupil.
| Detailed
Coin Information |
| Designer:
A. A. Weinman (AAW Mint Mark) |
| Gross
Weight: 12.50g |
Silver
Content: 0.36169 oz. |
| Composition:
90% silver, 10% copper |
| Diameter:
30.6mm |
Edge:
Reeded |
| Dates:
1916-21, 1923, 1927-29, 1933-47 |
| Mints:
Denver (1916-21; 1929; 1934-39; 1941-47), Philadelphia
(1916-1921; 1934-47), and San Francisco (1916-21;
1923; 1927-29; 1933-37; 1939-46) |
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