United States Walking Liberty half dollar

The United States Walking Liberty half dollar is a silver fifty-cent piece issued by the United States Mint between 1916 and 1947. Designed by the sculptor and engraver Adolph A. Weinman, the coin was introduced to replace the Barber half dollar that had been struck since 1892. In addition to the original silver series, the United States Mint released an issue struck in gold in 2016 to commemorate the centenary of the design.

The coin originated in 1915 when Mint Director Robert W. Woolley sought to replace the subsidiary silver coinage, believing that the expiry of the statutory twenty-five-year term made design changes mandatory. Working alongside the Commission of Fine Arts, Woolley invited external sculptors to submit competitive models, and Weinman was selected in early 1916 to design both the dime and the half dollar. The design encountered technical difficulties during die preparation, leading Treasury Secretary William G. McAdoo to consider commissioning an alternative from Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber, though mint officials eventually brought Weinman's model into production. The coin never struck fully cleanly, a factor that contributed to its retirement in 1948 in favour of the Franklin half dollar.

Weinman's obverse motif portrays Liberty striding towards the Sun, whilst the reverse features an eagle, as mandated by coinage statutes for the half-dollar denomination. Despite practical minting challenges, the design was praised by art historians such as Cornelius Vermeule as among the most beautiful American coins. The visual legacy of the piece continued long after its circulation period ended, with a modified rendition of Weinman's obverse adopted in 1986 for the American Silver Eagle.

Weinman's obverse depiction of Liberty striding towards the Sun and the reverse showing an eagle, with regular-issue silver strikes bearing dates from 1916 to 1947.