Preliminary identification
Photo reference
3 uploaded photos
Overview
A 90% silver half dollar featuring Adolph A. Weinman’s iconic 'Walking Liberty' design, struck during a pivotal year in American history. This specific coin bears the 'S' mint mark on the reverse, identifying it as a product of the San Francisco Mint.
Story
1923 was a year of silence for American half dollars—except in San Francisco. Due to a post-war economic slump, only this mint struck the denomination that year. Most were spent into oblivion, making surviving examples like this one a rare link to the jazz-age economy.
Maker / Origin
Adolph A. Weinman, a German-born student of the legendary Augustus Saint-Gaudens, won a 1916 competition to redesign the nation's silver. His 'Walking Liberty' is so beloved that the U.S. Mint revived it in 1986 for the American Silver Eagle bullion coin.
Condition & Value
The coin shows honest circulation wear consistent with a grade of Very Good to Fine. Liberty's gown lines are partially smoothed, and the eagle's feathers show wear, but the date and 'S' mint mark remain clear. This level of wear is typical for a coin that served as a workhorse of the 1920s economy. This is a 'condition rarity' year.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.