This might be one of the most eye-appealing U.S. coins ever made. Like most MacNeil coins, the Walking Liberty Half Dollar coins are among the most treasured collectibles with great numismatic value. Adding to that, a few uncirculated minted ones are so rare they only cater to the elite of collectors due to being rather expensive. 

With that being said, even the more budget-friendly ones remain Walking Liberty coins which you can't miss. Their unmatched design, yellow tint, and legendary depiction of the Lady Liberty in motion are enough to elevate any Silver Dollar collection to a museum-worthy level. They also have a bit of an intriguing history, but before getting into that, we will first dig into the initial incentive of making this extraordinary coin.

The Driving Motivation

The Walking Liberty Half Dollar came to life at a time when a new mint director, named Robert Woolley, thought that currency law required coins to get rejuvenated every 25 years. Because of that, this new design was released sooner than expected. Simply put, Woolley was talking to the Commission of Fine Arts about how he didn't like the new coinage proposals submitted by Mr. Barber, the artist behind the Barber Dime, the Barber Half Dollar, and quarter. So they suggested that there would be new artists chosen instead of just utilitarian coiners like Mr. Barber.

The Artist’s Inspiration

In the best-case scenario, there would be three different artists, each responsible for a designated coin. The  potential artist would end up with six submissions: obverse and a reverse for the dime, the quarter, and the half dollar. What actually happened was Adolph Weinman ended up getting approval on the obverse and reverse of the Mercury Dime, the obverse and reverse of the Walking Liberty Half Dollar, and the reverse of the quarter! He won five out of six faces of coins that were going to be redone. So it’s safe to say that Adolph Weinman  was indeed a coinage artist, and we can thank him for this beautiful coin along with the mercury dime.

An Impeccable Patriotic Design

Of all the coins depicting genuine American value, this one is by far the most aesthetically pleasing. It portrays a figure representing Liberty as she walks towards the sun, beautifully symbolizing the dawn of a new day. She carries olive branches, which are indicative of civil and military glory. Notice how her hand is stretched out? Weinman did that purposefully in an attempt to represent the intangible spirit of freedom. The reverse displays an eagle on a rock with his wings unfolded, as if ready to take flight, which wittily marks the innate fearlessness spirit entrenched in American culture. A little mountain pine tree is seen extending from the rock, symbolizing the United States of America.

By far, one of the richest coins when it comes to historical and symbolic significance. Don’t miss out on the chance to own this coin because it will definitely drive up your collection’s worth. At The Franklin Mint, we offer a great collection of the Walking Liberty Half Dollar products, don’t miss out on them by checking out our website.