Coin value · live melt price
Walking Liberty Half Dollar Value & Melt Value Today
A Walking Liberty half holds 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver, which sets its melt value. Most 1940s dates are common; the 1916 and 1921 issues and the 1938-D are where the money is.
Loading today's silver price…
Melt value
$0.00
0 troy oz of pure silver
Metal value only, before any dealer spread. Scarce dates and high grades can be worth much more.
Value at today's silver price
| Amount | Pure silver | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 coin | 0.362 oz | — |
| Roll of 20 ($10 face) | 7.234 oz | — |
| $100 face value | 72.338 oz | — |
Figures assume full-weight coins. For worn 90% coins the usual rule of thumb is about 0.715 oz per $1 face, about 1% less.
Melt value is the floor
Melt value is what the metal in a coin is worth: its pure silver content times the spot price. A Walking Liberty half dollar holds 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver, so at $60 an ounce its melt value is $21.70. The calculator above uses today's price instead.
That number is the floor. How close a common, worn Walking Liberty half dollar sells to it depends on collector demand. A scarce date, a rare mint mark or a coin in high grade is priced as a collectible, starting from the floor and going up.
| Coin | Years | Metal | Weight | Pure silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking Liberty half | 1916–1947 | 90% silver, 10% copper | 12.50 g | 0.3617 oz |
Adolph Weinman's Walking Liberty design ran from 1916 to 1947 and was later revived for the American Silver Eagle. On 1916 and early 1917 coins the mint mark is on the front, below IN GOD WE TRUST; later in 1917 it moved to the back, left of the eagle.
Is yours a valuable one? Check these first
Check the date, the mint mark and the condition against this list. If your coin matches a key date or variety, have it looked at by a dealer who handles collector coins before you sell it for melt.
- 1921-D: Lowest mintage of the series: 208,000 struck.
- 1921: 246,000 struck at Philadelphia, against more than 6 million the year before.
- 1921-S: 548,000 struck. Less rare than the 1921-D, but sought after in every grade.
- 1916-S: 508,000 struck, with the mint mark on the front below IN GOD WE TRUST.
- 1938-D: 491,600 struck. The one late date that carries a real premium even when worn.
Mintages and varieties from APMEX's Walking Liberty half key dates guide. For current collector prices by grade, check the PCGS Price Guide or the NGC Price Guide. Prices for key dates change often and depend heavily on grade.
What dealers typically pay
Dealers price common silver coins off the silver spot price, so the melt figure above is the number to anchor on. Some shops quote per coin, others per $1 of face value. Before you accept, put the offer into the Coin Offer Checker: it shows the metal value and where the offer sits against typical dealer pay. For a key date or a high-grade coin, ask for an offer on the coin as a collectible, not as silver.
Not sure it's silver?
The Is My Coin Silver? checker takes the denomination and year and tells you the metal, the silver content and the melt value. Selling a mix of coins? The silver coin melt value calculator adds up several types at once, and the junk silver calculator works from face value.
Where to sell
Compare coin dealers near you: what each one buys, and what recent customers say about the offers they got. If this coin is part of a larger collection, read how to sell a coin collection first.
Value pages for other coins
Questions
How much silver is in a Walking Liberty half dollar?
A Walking Liberty half is 90% silver and holds 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver.
Are Walking Liberty halves valuable?
Common 1940s dates are worth at least their silver, and more in better condition. The 1921, 1921-D, 1921-S, 1916-S and 1938-D carry real premiums, and so do high-grade coins of any date.
Where is the mint mark on a Walking Liberty half?
On 1916 and early 1917 coins it is on the front, below IN GOD WE TRUST. From later in 1917 it is on the back, to the left of the eagle. No mint mark means Philadelphia.
Sources: APMEX, Walking Liberty half key dates · CoinWeek, silver content of U.S. coins · MetalCharts junk silver guide · U.S. Mint coin specifications (current clad coins) · Coinage Act of 1965. Updated 2026-10-09.