Lot 181
1945-1947 Walking Liberty , 1950-1951 Franklin US Silver Half Dollars
Sold October 23, 2025
- Price realized
- $225
Price realized is the winning bid (hammer price) and excludes buyer’s premium.
About this lot
Estimated Value: $250-400
Origin: United States
Denomination: Half Dollar
Year: 1945-1947, 1950-1951
Mint: 1945 Philadelphia; 1946 Philadelphia, San Francisco; 1947 Philadelphia, Denver; 1950-1951 Philadelphia
Grade: Various Conditions
Metal: Silver
Weight: 247.4g total
Additional Description: The U.S. Silver Half Dollars from 1945 to 1947 mark the final years of the iconic Walking Liberty series, closing a chapter that had spanned three decades. Designed by Adolph A. Weinman and struck in 90% silver, these coins feature Liberty striding toward the rising sun—an image of hope and renewal that carried particular resonance in the immediate aftermath of World War II. The 1945 issue, minted as the war drew to a close, circulated in a nation exhausted by conflict yet optimistic about peace. By 1946 and 1947, the coins were part of a peacetime economy rebuilding itself at home and asserting new influence abroad.
The 1950 and 1951 U.S. Franklin Half Dollars represent the early years of a bold departure in American coin design. Introduced in 1948, the series replaced the long-running Walking Liberty half dollar with a more modern and distinctly American image: Benjamin Franklin. Designed by John R. Sinnock, the obverse features Franklin’s unidealized profile—serious, reflective, and deeply rooted in Enlightenment values—while the reverse displays the Liberty Bell, complete with its iconic crack, flanked by a small eagle to meet legal requirements.
Lot details
- Lot
- 181
- Closed
- October 23, 2025
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