1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar Value Guide

The 1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar Value

Circulation-strike 1942 Walking Liberty half dollars remain consistent in value across all grades. The only exception is the higher mint-state grades when the Denver and San Francisco versions pull away from the Philadelphia version.

The proof-strike versions are more valuable than the circulation-strike versions except at the highest mint-state grades.

An N/A for a value below indicates no publicly known examples of that version of the 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar with that grade, or no value information (or not enough) exists for it yet.

Additionally, all values are conservative estimates based on research. Please note all values are subject to change due to the market or circumstances unaccounted for during research and publication. We always recommend doing further research or consulting with a professional.

Melt Value

The 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar’s melt value is approximately $8. The melt value will fluctuate with the market.

Circulation Strike Value Chart

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar	1942-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar	1942-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar
Good – G	$14	$14	$14
Very Good – VG	$15	$15	$15
Fine – F	$16	$16	$16
Very Fine – VF	$18	$18	$18
Extra Fine – XF	$21	$21	$21
About Uncirculated – AU	$24-$41	$26-$50	$29-$50
Mint State – MS	$45-$79,000 (68+)	$55-$26,000 (68)	$55-$52,000 (67+)

Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart

1942 Proof Walking Liberty Half Dollar
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 50	$127
PR 53	$165
PR 55	$202
PR 58	$242
PR 60	$307
PR 61	$330
PR 62	$357
PR 63	$395
PR 64	$475
PR 65	$545
PR 66	$650
PR 67	$900
PR 68	$4,500
PR 69	$40,000
PR 70	N/A

Cameo (CA/CAM) Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart

1942 Cameo Proof Walking Liberty Half Dollar
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 60 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 61 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 62 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 63 CA/CAM	$2,800
PR 64 CA/CAM	$3,700
PR 65 CA/CAM	$4,500
PR 66 CA/CAM	$11,000
PR 67 CA/CAM	$15,000
PR 68 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 69 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 70 CA/CAM	N/A

What Makes A 1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar Valuable?

The following factors add to a 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar’s value: 

• Grading
• Rarity
• Minting location
• Strike type
• If it’s an error coin
• If it’s a die variety

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

Grading adds to 1942 Walking Liberty half dollars’ value. 

However, it only does this incrementally for most of the circulation grades. This changes in the mint-state grades, which quickly get into the hundreds and thousands.

Proof-strike coins start in the hundreds and stay in that range until the highest grades. 

Please note that any proof coin with a grade below 60 is an “impaired proof.” This means the proof was mishandled somehow, reducing its grade and value. 

Cameo proof coins start in the thousands and increase from there.

Rarity

The Mint minted the 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar approximately 71,520,920 times across all of its versions. Please see the following list for the breakdown for each version:

• 1942: 47,818,000 minted in Philadelphia^5,11
• 1942-D: 10,973,800 minted in Denver^2,6
• 1942-S: 12,708,000 minted in San Francisco^7,12
• 1942 Proof: 21,120 minted in Philadelphia^4,8

Mint Marks

1942 Walking Liberty half dollars have the following mint marks:

• Philadelphia: No mint mark^1,5
• Denver: “D” mint mark^2,6
• San Francisco: “S” mint mark^3,7

You’ll find the mint mark on the lower left of the coin’s reverse side by the rim.^2,3,6,7 

All three versions are comparable in value except at the higher mint-state grades. At this point, the Denver and San Francisco versions are worth more than the Philadelphia version.

Strike Types

1942 Walking Liberty half dollars have two strike types: circulation and proof.^13,14

Normally, proof-strike coins are worth more than circulation-strike coins. This is because proofs are rarer, sometimes significantly so, and have an overall better quality.

The latter is true for 1942 Walking Liberty half dollars. It’s also true that this coin’s proof version is significantly rarer than its circulation one.

However, this coin’s proof has the highest mintage of any Walking Liberty half dollar proofs, which the Mint produced from 1936 to 1942. This only ended due to World War II.^4,8 

As a result, the lower rarity of the 1942 Walking Liberty proof coins takes away from their overall value. Higher mint-state coins are more difficult to come by, increasing their value.

Design Variations

The 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar has no design variations.

Special Designations

The 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar has no versions with special designations. 

Error Coins 

The most valuable 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar errors are the wrong-planchet ones.¹⁷ These occur when the Mint strikes a coin on a planchet intended for a different type of coin.

In the case of this coin, the Mint struck some 1942 Walking Liberty half dollars on silver quarter planchets.

This error significantly increases the coin’s value by tens of thousands of dollars.

Other errors include double-struck errors.¹⁷ These increase this coin’s value by hundreds of dollars.

Die Varieties

1942 Walking Liberty half dollar die varieties include but are not limited to the following:¹⁸

• Doubled-die obverse
• Doubled-die reverse
• Repunched “D” mint mark (AKA D/D variety)
• Three “S” mint mark varieties, including the “Small S,” “Large S,” and “Trumpet S”

The “S” mint mark varieties add significant value to 1942 Walking Liberty half dollars, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.^19-21 

The other die varieties add little to no value. In some cases, they detract from the value.^22-24

Composition

The 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar is a 90% silver coin. Silver coins are generally more desirable than non-silver coins.

We recommend against melting this coin or any coin down, though. You will not see the same value from melting it down as you would from selling it.

How Do You Know If You Have A Valuable 1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar?

The best way to know if you have a valuable 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar (or any coin) and to get that value out of it is to have it professionally certified.

However, you can look for many elements to get you started in determining what coin you have.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

The most important elements to look for in 1942 Walking Liberty half dollars are those pertaining to the mint-state grades. These apply to the circulation-strike and proof-strike versions.

So, at a minimum, you’re looking for signs of zero wear and, ideally, a better luster, level of detail, and lack of marks.

Mint Marks

Look on the reverse side of your 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar. Specifically, look in the lower left portion just by the rim. What you see there determines what coin you have.

Philadelphia coins have no mint mark.

Denver coins have a “D” mint mark.

San Francisco coins have an “S” mint mark.

Strike Types

Proof strikes go through a much higher-quality minting process than circulation strikes. They’re struck twice, handled more carefully, and may even be finished differently. 

This process produces clearer, more complete details and a better-looking, reflective finish. 

Cameo and ultra/deep cameo proofs deepen the contrast between the design’s frosting and the field’s mirror-like qualities. 

Also, proof coins should show no signs of wear. If they do, they’re impaired proofs and will have a grade below 60. 

Circulation-strike coins can also show no signs of wear, putting them in mint-state grades, but they will be missing other qualities proof-strike coins have.

Design Variations

The 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar has no design variations.

Special Designations

The 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar has no versions with special designations.

Error Coins

Generally, look for any unusual marks or issues with your 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar. These are good signs you either have an error coin or die variety. 

For wrong-planchet errors, specifically look for the following signs:

• Your coin is smaller than a half dollar
• It weighs less than a half dollar
• Only part of the image is present

For double-struck errors, look for evidence of two strikes. You should see a full or partial correct strike and a second strike that is off-center or rotated in some way.²⁵

Die Varieties

Determining a die variety comes down to working with a professional. However, here are some pointers to get you started.

Doubled-die obverse coins show doubling on some or all elements on the coin’s obverse side (the front).

Doubled-die reverse coins show the same, but for the reverse side.

Repunched mint mark varieties, such as the D/D variety for this coin, show two mint marks, one layered overtop the other.

The “S” mint mark varieties are also relatively easy to determine. The “Small S” variety has a smaller “S” mint mark, the large “S” variety has a larger “S,” and the “Trumpet S” refers to the lower end of the mint mark resembling a trumpet.¹⁸

Additional Information About The 1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar

History

Walking Liberty half dollars first entered circulation in 1916. They would stay in circulation through 1947. 

The reason for their creation lies in an 1890 Act by Congress, which allows the Mint to create and issue new designs for coins once every 25 years. Anything under 25 years requires congressional intervention.

The last half-dollar design occurred in 1892, meaning that 1916 would allow the design to change. 

With the help of a competition, Adolph A. Weinman and his sketches were chosen, which were refined and eventually used as the new half-dollar design.

The Walking Liberty half dollar was quite popular.

^{Sources: 13-14,26-27}

The Coin’s Obverse Side

The 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar’s obverse side features Lady Liberty walking toward a rising sun (hence the “Walking Liberty” name). She is cradling branches with her left arm and extending her right arm in the sun’s direction. The United States flag curls out behind her.

The word “Liberty” curves around most of the coin’s rim in spaced-apart letters. 

The year sits at the bottom of the coin.

“In God We Trust” sits to Lady Liberty’s lower right.

^{Sources: 1,5}

The Coin’s Reverse Side

The 1942 Walking Liberty half dollar’s reverse side features a bald eagle perched on a mountaintop, from which a sapling grows. Like Lady Liberty on the obverse, this image fills most of the reverse.

The words “United States Of America” curve around the upper rim with dots separating the words. 

“E Pluribus Unum” sits just below the “U” in “United” and to the eagle’s right. These words are Latin for “Out of many, one,” the United States motto.

The words “Half Dollar” rest against the bottom rim, also separated by a dot.

The Denver and San Francisco versions of the coin feature a small mint mark on the lower left side of the coin. “D” is for Denver, and “S” is for San Francisco.

Philadelphia has no mint mark.

^{Sources: 1-3,5-7}

Sources

1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar Value Guide