Melt values › Walking Liberty half dollar
Walking Liberty half dollar value today: melt value and specs
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By GoldGuy. First published Oct 24, 2026. Specs checked against the sources below on Oct 24, 2026; melt values refresh with every price update. Numista catalog: N#4455.
As of Oct 31, 2026 2:24 AM ET, a Walking Liberty half dollar is worth $17.81 in silver, per Bullion Price Check: 0.36169 troy oz of pure silver × silver spot $49.25/oz (gold-api.com). A Walking Liberty in any condition holds the same silver as a 1964 Kennedy half.
Key facts
- Melt value: $17.81 (Oct 31, 2026 2:24 AM ET)
- Silver content: 0.36169 troy oz
- Weight / fineness: 12.50 g, 90% silver (.900)
- Years: 1916–1947
- Silver spot: $49.25/oz (gold-api.com, Oct 31, 2026 2:24 AM ET)
Specifications (checked Oct 24, 2026)
| Spec | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Years struck | 1916–1947 | source |
| Designer | Adolph A. Weinman | source |
| Weight | 12.50 g (12.5 grams by law) | source |
| Fineness | .900 silver, .100 copper | source |
| Pure silver | 11.25 g = 0.36169 troy oz (12.5 g × 0.900 ÷ 31.1035) | calculated |
Sources: Coinage Act of 1873, secs. 13 and 15 (17 Stat. 424), full text at FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; U.S. Mint: Half Dollar (design history). Under the Coinage Act of 1873 (sec. 13) US silver coins were 900 parts silver per 1,000 by weight, and (sec. 15) the half dollar weighed 12.5 grams, with the quarter at half that weight and the dime at one fifth. Those standards held until the Coinage Act of 1965 removed silver from dimes and quarters and cut the half dollar to 40% silver. (Coinage Act of 1873, secs. 13 and 15 (17 Stat. 424), full text at FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Coinage Act of 1965, Public Law 89-81 (79 Stat. 254), congress.gov)
Walking Liberty half dollar melt value by quantity
| Coins | Face value | Silver (troy oz) | Melt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.50 | 0.3617 | $17.81 |
| 5 | $2.50 | 1.8085 | $89.07 |
| 10 | $5.00 | 3.6169 | $178.15 |
| 20 | $10.00 | 7.2338 | $356.29 |
| 40 | $20.00 | 14.4676 | $712.59 |
| 100 | $50.00 | 36.1690 | $1,781.47 |
Melt = 0.36169 troy oz × silver spot $49.25/oz as of Oct 31, 2026 2:24 AM ET (gold-api.com). Full-weight coins; worn coins can be slightly lighter.
How to recognize a Walking Liberty half dollar
Liberty walks toward a rising sun, draped in the American flag and carrying laurel and oak branches; the reverse shows an eagle with unfolded wings perched on a rock, with a pine branch growing from it (U.S. Mint description).
Walking Liberty half dollar facts
- 1947 was the last year Liberty appeared on a US circulating coin, so the Walking Liberty closes a design tradition that began with the first half dollar in 1794. (source)
- Weinman also designed the Mercury dime, and both coins first appeared in 1916, along with the Standing Liberty quarter. (source)
- A quick weight check helps: a Walking Liberty that is clearly lighter than 12.5 g on an accurate scale is either very worn or not genuine.
Selling Walking Liberty halves
Every Walking Liberty half was struck to the same 12.5 g, 90% silver standard, so a worn 1943 and a sharp 1943 hold the same silver if neither has lost weight to wear. Melt is the floor; the date, mint mark and condition decide whether a collector will pay more.
In a lot priced by face value every half counts the same, so pull out any coin that looks barely worn and check its year before it goes in with the rest.
$1 face = 0.7234 oz silver ($35.63 today, full weight; worn-coin basis).
Walking Liberty half dollar: collector estimate vs melt
Pick a year to compare Numista's live estimates by grade with melt (N#4455).
Each check uses our limited monthly allowance of Numista requests, so it runs only when you click.
Related melt values
Franklin half dollar · Barber half dollar · Standing Liberty quarter · 1964 Kennedy half dollar · 1964 quarter · junk silver per $1 face · Coin value lookup (melt vs collector estimate) · Sell silver coins
Frequently asked questions
How much silver is in a Walking Liberty half dollar?
0.36169 troy oz (11.25 g) of pure silver: 12.5 g at 90% silver, the legal standard from the Coinage Act of 1873.
What is the melt value of a Walking Liberty half dollar?
$17.81 as of Oct 31, 2026 2:24 AM ET: 0.36169 troy oz of silver at today's spot price. It moves with the silver price.
What is a 1943 Walking Liberty half dollar worth?
At least its silver, $17.81 as of Oct 31, 2026 2:24 AM ET, the same as any other date. Anything above that depends on the mint mark and grade; the check on this page loads Numista's live estimates for 1943.
Numista data on this page (issue lists and collector price estimates) is loaded live from Numista each time you ask for it, through our server, and is not stored by Bullion Price Check. Numista is a collaborative catalog: its estimates are not an appraisal, a grading or an offer. Source: Numista (numista.com). Numista is a trademark of its owner; no endorsement implied.
General information, not financial advice. Bullion Price Check publishes price data; it does not buy or sell coins.