Lot 001Coin values

1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollar

Q: How much is a 1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollar worth?

Lustre's editorial estimate (Oct 2026) is $34–$250 for circulated examples (G-4 to EF-40) and $4,500–$6,500 in MS-65. These are estimates, not an appraisal or market data. A coin in the grade you hold may sell for less at a dealer, who needs a margin.

PHILADELPHIA · 90% SILVER, 10% COPPER · 608,000 STRUCK

The answer

Worth about $34⁠–⁠$250 circulated and $4,500⁠–⁠$6,500 in MS-65.

The 1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollar is a semi-key date from the Philadelphia Mint, with 608,000 pieces struck. In circulated grades (G-4 to EF-40) our estimate is $34⁠–⁠$250, and a well-preserved MS-65 example is estimated at $4,500⁠–⁠$6,500.

The first year of the Walking Liberty half. The mint mark was on the obverse for 1916 and part of 1917.

1916Philadelphia

Catalogue medallion. We do not yet hold a licensed photograph of this exact date and mint, so none is shown rather than one with a different date.

Walking Liberty half dollar obverse: Liberty striding toward the sunrise — Design reference 1945-D Walking Liberty half dollar. The date on this photograph is not this issue's date. Public domain, credit Brandon Grossardt, via Wikimedia Commons.

Walking Liberty half dollar reverse: eagle on a mountain pine — Design reference 1945-D Walking Liberty half dollar. The date on this photograph is not this issue's date. Public domain, credit Brandon Grossardt, via Wikimedia Commons.

Mint: Philadelphia
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Mintage: 608,000
Weight and size: 12.5 g · 30.6 mm
Designer: Adolph A. Weinman

RaritySemi-key

PlentifulRare

Scarcer than 92% of the 65 issues in the Walking Liberty series with a recorded mintage. 608,000 struck. Mintage is the number struck, not the number that survive.

Grade & value

Circulated$34–$250

Melt, live$21.89

Estimated value by grade for the 1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollar. Lustre editorial estimate, Oct 2026.
Grade	Estimate
G-4Good	$34–$42
VG-8Very Good	$45–$55
F-12Fine	$65–$75
VF-20Very Fine	$105–$135
EF-40Extremely Fine	$190–$250
AU-50About Uncirculated	$280–$360
AU-58Choice About Uncirculated	$360–$480
MS-60Mint State 60	$520–$680
MS-63Choice Mint State	$980–$1,400
MS-65Gem Mint State	$4,500–$6,500

Melt value (silver)$21.89

0.3617 troy oz of silver at the spot price. Reference prices, not live

Scan your coin

Estimates. Grade values are Lustre editorial estimate, Oct 2026, based on spot prices near $61 per ounce for silver. They are not market data, an appraisal or an offer. Rows marked at melt follow the metal price.

Value ladder

Varieties to look for

Mint mark position

1916 and some 1917 coins carry the mint mark on the obverse; later coins carry it on the reverse at the lower left. Make sure the position matches the date.

Strike quality

The head and left hand of Liberty and the eagle's breast are weak on many dates. Fully struck examples of the 1920s and early 1930s are scarce.

Cleaning

Many have been cleaned or dipped. Look for original luster.

Questions

About the 1916 Walking Liberty

How much is a 1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollar worth?

Lustre's editorial estimate (Oct 2026) is $34⁠–⁠$250 for circulated examples (G-4 to EF-40) and $4,500⁠–⁠$6,500 in MS-65. These are estimates, not an appraisal or market data. A coin in the grade you hold may sell for less at a dealer, who needs a margin.

Is a 1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollar silver?

Yes. It is 90% silver, 10% copper and weighs 12.5 g, which is 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver. Its melt value is that weight multiplied by the current silver spot price, shown live on this page.

How many 1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollars were minted?

608,000 were struck at the Philadelphia Mint.

Where is the mint mark on a Walking Liberty Half Dollar?

On the obverse below the letters TR of TRUST for 1916 and some 1917 coins; on the reverse near the lower left rim from later 1917 onward. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark.