1946 Walking Liberty Half Dollar

While Walking Liberty half dollars didn’t cease production until 1947, 1946 marks a couple of lasts for the series from the coin collecting standpoint. 1946 was the last year that San Francisco produced Walking Liberty halves. That was also the last year that any significantly important varieties were made, with the 1946 doubled-die Walking Liberty half dollar a popular item of pursuit for aficionados of the series. 1946 doubled-die Walking halves are not particularly rare, at least in the lower grades, but they are fun for collectors to include in their collections.

What follows is mintage and valuation information for 1946 Walking Liberty half dollars:

• 1946, 12,118,000 minted; $15

• 1946-D, 2,151,000; $20

• 1946-S, 3,724,000; $17

• 1946 doubled die, unknown mintage; $75 

*Values are for 1946 Walking halves in a grade of XF-40

As you will notice in the above mintage breakdown, production numbers were significantly lower in 1946 than in previous years during the 1940s decade. With tens of millions of Walking Liberty half dollars minted during the years 1941-1945, the demand for 50-cent coins was filled for the time being, and mintages lowered accordingly. Lower mintage figures do not translate to substantially high prices for MS-60 pieces, however. MS-60 prices for regular-strike 1946 halves are generally under $50 each.