Walking Liberty half dollars were produced in the United States between 1916 and 1947. These collectible coins are sometimes also referred to as Liberty Walking half dollars, or as "Walkers." As the name suggests, the front (obverse) of the coin depicts a full length female Liberty figure striding purposefully toward a rising sun, or the dawn of a new day. The Liberty figure holds laurel and oak branches, symbols of civil and military glory. The reverse displays an eagle with wings spread in a show of power, clutching a pine branch that symbolizes America. The design of this coin is both striking and complex, and upon its release the designer, Adolph Weinman, was immediately praised for it by newspapers of the day. The coin's design and 90 percent silver content (the other 10 percent is copper) have kept the Walking Liberty half dollar popular with both collectors and non-collectors. The design itself underwent minimal variation throughout the coin's history, with the only change being a move of the mintmark from the front of the coin to the reverse in 1917. High grade Liberty Walking half dollars are not rare, although coins from certain years are scarce. Numismatists often attempt to complete a full collection of Walking Liberty halves, which consists of 65 different date and mint combinations. Very few Walkers were minted in 1921, and coins from that year with the P, D, and S mintmarks (from the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints) represent key dates in the series. Sharply struck Walkers (those with good definition in the design's detail) from any date also command a premium in the marketplace.
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