1943 Half Dollar Value Guide

The 1943 Half Dollar Value

A 1943 half dollar’s value is consistent across all 3 versions of the coin up to the about-uncirculated grades. From there, Denver and San Francisco are slightly more valuable, with San Francisco becoming the most valuable overall in the mint-state grades.

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 1943 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	1943 Half Dollar	1943-D Half Dollar	1943-S 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	$26-$50
Mint State – MS	$45-$15,000 (68)	$55-$22,000 (68)	$55-$27,000 (67+)

What Makes A 1943 Half Dollar Valuable?

Factors such as grading, mint marks at the higher grades, error coins, and die varieties add value to a 1943 half dollar.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

Grading does add value to a 1943 half dollar. 

However, a 1943 half dollar’s value increases only minimally for the most part. You’ll only see large increases in value at the higher mint-state grades, reaching even tens of thousands of dollars. 

But it’s also worth noting that even a “good” grade is worth $14 for a 1943 half dollar, which is many more times its face value.

Rarity

The Mint minted 1943 half dollars approximately 77,986,000 times across all of its versions. Please see the following list for the breakdown for each version:

• 1943: 53,190,000 minted in Philadelphia^1,7
• 1943-D: 11,346,000 minted in Denver^2,8
• 1943-S: 13,450,000 minted in San Francisco^3,9

Because the Mint produced nearly 78 million 1943 half dollars, they’re not rare. Some versions of them are, such as the higher mint-state grades, but in general, they’re not.

In fact, the 1943 half dollar has the highest mintage in the whole series.¹ 

Mint Marks

The U.S. Mint produced 1943 half dollars in 3 locations:

• Philadelphia^1-2
• Denver^3-4
• San Francisco^5-6

They remain identical in value up through the extra fine grade. Denver and San Francisco start pulling away in the about-uncirculated grades, with the latter pulling away in the mint-state grades.

Strike Types

The 1943 half dollar only has a circulation strike type.^10-11 This does not contribute to its overall value.

Design Variations

The 1943 half dollar has no design variations. This does not contribute to nor take away from its value.

Special Designations

The 1943 half dollar has no special designations. This does not contribute to nor take away from its value.

Error Coins

1943 half dollars have a couple of error coins. These include off-center strikes and wrong-cent planchet errors.^12-13

Of the two, wrong-cent planchet errors are the most valuable. However, both add significant value to a 1943 half dollar, at least thousands of dollars.

Die Varieties

1943 half dollars include the following varieties:^14-16

• “No AW”
• D/D (repunched)
• DDO (doubled-die obverse)

Each only adds a little value to your coin.

Composition

The 1943 half dollar is a 90% silver coin. This does add some value to its overall melt value. However, we recommend against melting down any coin. They’re worth more when sold intact.

Also, silver coins are popular with collectors. Since the 1943 half dollar is a silver coin, it’s a good bet it’ll retain or increase in value as the years pass. 

How Do You Know If You Have A Valuable 1943 Half Dollar?

The best way to know if you have a valuable 1943 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

Several factors determine a coin’s grade. These include but are not limited to the following:

• Detail quality
• Luster
• Imperfections
• Signs of wear

The more of the first two and the less of the second two, the better grade you have.

Mint Marks

You’ll find a 1943 half dollar’s mint mark beneath the sapling on the coin’s reverse side. It’s on the lower left side by the rim. 

A “D” indicates the coin came from Denver.

An “S” indicates the coin came from San Francisco.

No mint mark indicates the coin came from Philadelphia.

Strike Types

Since the 1943 half dollar only has a circulation strike type, you don’t need to look for anything specific. However, some circulation strikes receive better strikes than others, adding to their grade and value. So, look for coins with sharper details.

Design Variations

The 1943 half dollar has no design variations.

Special Designations

The 1943 half dollar has no special designations.

Error Coins

You can relatively easily determine an off-center strike for your 1943 half dollar. The design will be in the wrong location and likely incomplete. However, it will need to have the year to be considered a coin from that year. 

Certifications express the off-centering as a percentage. So, if purchasing such a coin, the listing will mention it as 10% off-center or 30% off-center, for example. 

Wrong cent planchet errors are also relatively easy to determine. This error means the die struck the design on the wrong coin. For example, it could have struck the half dollar design on a quarter. 

So, your coin will be a different size, weight, and potentially a different color as well. The design will likely also be incomplete. However, again, it will need to contain the year to confirm what coin the design should’ve been on.

Die Varieties

1943 half dollars should have an “AW” on the reverse side, which is the designer’s initials.¹⁴ You can find those initials just beneath the eagle’s tail feathers by the rim on the lower right. 

However, some coins don’t have these initials. Although this isn’t considered a true die variety, it’s close enough. 

1943-D/D die varieties have a repunched mint mark.¹⁴ This means you’ll see a “D” but also the faint outline of another one. They will be offset from one another.

Determining if your coin is a doubled-die obverse (DDO) variety might require magnification, and it might not. Either way, you’re looking for evidence of doubled elements. These could be the letters, year, or design pieces such as Lady Liberty or the sun.

Additional Information About The 1943 Half Dollar

History

The Mint produced 1943 half dollars during World War II. They had a very high mintage. They were also one of the last Walking Liberty half dollars the Mint produced before switching to the Franklin half dollar in 1948.

Otherwise, there’s little of note about this year for the Walking Liberty half dollar.

^{Sources: 1,4,10-11}

The Coin’s Obverse Side

The 1943 half dollar’s obverse shows Lady Liberty walking toward a rising sun, which is, of course, what the coin takes its name from. Her right hand extends toward the sun, and she cradles some branches in her left arm. The United States flag sweeps out from behind her back and extends out with her right arm.

The words “In God We Trust” sit by her right calf. The word “Liberty” curves around much of this side’s rim in spaced-apart letters. “1943” sits below her left foot.

^{Sources: 1,4}

The Coin’s Reverse Side

The 1943 half dollar’s reverse features a bald eagle filling much of this side. The eagle is perched on a mountaintop, which a sapling is growing from.

The words “United States Of America” curve along the rim above the eagle, and the words “Half dollar” curve along the rim below the eagle. Dots separate the words. 

The words “E Pluribus Unum” sit just above the sapling at the rim’s left edge. These words mean “Out of many, one,” the United States motto.

Should your coin have a mint mark, you’ll find it on this side. It’ll be just below the sapling near the lower-left rim.

The designer’s initials (“AW” for Adolph Weinman) are by the lower-right rim beneath the eagle’s tailfeathers.

^{Sources: 1-6}

Sources

1943 Half Dollar Value Guide Sources