Top 25 Most Valuable Walking Liberty Half Dollars Sold on eBay in July 2015
Walking Liberty half dollars are one of the most popular coin series around and certainly are considered among the most beautiful silver coins the United States has produced. It’s no surprise then that Walking Liberty half dollars are among the most valuable coins and therefore actively traded on the online auction site eBay.
The most valuable Walking Liberty half dollars tend to be the key dates, including all 1921 halves, the 1938-D semi-key coin, and some of the other mintmarked pieces from before 1934. Also among the most valuable Walking Liberty half dollars are any pre-1934 issues that grade XF-40 or higher.
Here’s a rundown of the top 25 most expensive Walking Liberty half dollars that were sold on eBay in July 2015:
#1 – 1933-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS MS-65, $3,595.00
It’s no surprise that the 1933-S Walking Liberty half dollar comes up on this list as the most expensive issue for the series for July 2015. While not, in and of itself, a key date, it is a tougher date and in that subset of pieces that are automatically considered scarce if grading above XF-40. Regardless of the date, all MS-65 Walking Liberty half dollars are difficult to find.
#2 – 1938-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS MS-66+, $2,750.00
A late-series semi-key date, the 1938-D Walking Liberty half dollar is a desirable coin given its low mintage of just 491,600 pieces. In addition to its scarceness, this particular 1938-D half dollar is especially noteworthy given its high grade of MS-66+.
#3 – 1921 Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS XF-40, $2,500.00
The Philadelphia 1921 Walking Liberty half dollar is among the scarcest of the business-strike issues for the series and ranks as a key date as well. While the 1921 half dollar is rare in any grade, its difficulty becomes all the greater in the XF-40 grade range or better.
#4 – 1921-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar NGC VF-30, $1,651.50
All 1921-dated Walking Liberty half dollars are scarce, but the 1921-S is, for the year, the most common in terms of shear mintage figures. However, that fact shouldn’t fool any coin collectors. It’s extraordinarily difficult to find any decent specimens of this issue above Fine-12.
#5 – 1938 Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS Proof-67, $1,625.00
This 1938 Walking Liberty half dollar is from the early years of the “modern” proof coin era, which began in 1936. In general, 1930s proof coins are available in two distinct categories: cameo and non-cameo. Certainly, cameo is the scarcer of the two (this 1938 proof half dollar doesn’t have any particularly stunning cameo qualities), but it is still a gorgeous coin with incredible surfaces.
#6 – 1933-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS MS-64, $1,550.00
This 1933-S Walking Liberty half dollar is a stunning coin with frosty white surfaces. Indeed, it’s difficult to find any pre-1934 Walking halves in this grade range, and that’s especially the case when concerning mintmarked specimens such as this San Francisco beauty.
#7 – 1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS Proof-67+ CAC Designation, $1,478.70
When it comes to the 1930s and 1940s proof coins, it’s important to remember that most were not very well preserved, largely due to the sulfur content of their original tissue paper wrappers and, not to mention, poor handling after the coins left the U.S. Mint. So, finding any gem quality proofs from the era is a numismatic miracle. This Proof-67+ coin (with designation from the Certified Acceptance Corporation for superior eye appeal) proves miracles really do come true.
#8 – 1917-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar Obverse Mintmark PCGS AU-53, $1,475.00
This 1917-S Walking Liberty half dollar with the mintmark on the obverse is a scarce coin by and large, as only 952,000 were originally minted and far fewer survive today. As earlier mentioned, all pre-1934 Walking half dollars that grade in XF-40 or better are particularly scarce.
#9 – 1918-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS AU-58 CAC Designation, $1,250.00
This 1918-D Walking Liberty half dollar is just a rub below uncirculated. In fact, its final bid price of $1,250.00 is very close to low-end retail of an MS-60 specimen. The fact this coin, grading AU-58 according to the usually conservative Professional Coin Grading Service, boasts a CAC label may have helped compel the winning bidder to bet on this coin grading a little better still than its label suggests.
#10 – 1936-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS MS-66, $1,225.00
Rounding out the top 10 for this list is a 1936-S Walking Liberty half dollar grading MS-66. This particular specimen is quite stunning with its blast white, frosty surfaces and incredible strike quality.
11th through 25th Most Valuable Walking Liberty Half Dollars Sold on eBay in July 2015
The last 15 Walking Liberty half dollars listed here for July 2015 includes several raw coins as well as an even showing of certified coins from the major coin grading companies. In all, it’s an even mixture of key dates, high-end common dates, and a few decent-quality worn examples of early mintmarked Walkers:
#11 – 1934-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS MS-65, $1,075.00
#12 – 1917-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar Reverse Mintmark PCGS AU-58 CAC Designation, $1,030.00
#13 – 1946-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS MS-67, $1,023.75
#14 – 1921-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar Raw Ungraded, $999.99
#15 – 1919-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS XF-45, $997.65
#16 – 1920-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar Raw Uncirculated, $995.00
#17 – 1942-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS MS-66, $963.00
#18 – 1927-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar Raw Gem BU+, $960.00
#19 – 1916-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar Raw About Uncirculated, $875.00
#20 – 1939 Walking Liberty Half Dollar NGC Proof-67, $860.00
#21 – 1916-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS MS-64, $855.00
#22 – 1920-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar ANACS AU-55, $850.00
#23 – 1917-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar Obverse Mintmark Raw Uncirculated, $810.00
#24 (Tied) – 1942-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar NGC MS-66, $800.00
#24 (Tied) – 1918-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar Raw Ungraded, $800.00
