11 Rare Walking Liberty Half Dollar Errors Worth Money (Full List with Pictures)

A 1945-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar that was struck twice — the second hit landing 55% off-center — sold at Heritage Auctions for $41,125. The Walking Liberty Half Dollar errors list spans the full 1916-to-1947 production run, with values ranging from $30 for minor lamination flaws to five figures for wrong planchet strikes and multi-struck specimens.

Two World Wars and a Depression meant the Mint’s quality control wasn’t always keeping up with demand. Below are all 11 documented error types, sorted from least to most valuable.

1. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Lamination Error (Up to $200)

Lamination errors result from impurities or internal stresses in the planchet metal. During strip preparation, contaminants like grease, dirt, or slag get trapped just beneath the surface, creating weak spots.

Those weak spots eventually cause the metal to flake, peel, or split — sometimes before striking, sometimes years after. On Walking Liberty halves, laminations typically show up as raised or peeling patches on high-relief design areas.

The 90% silver composition makes laminations less common than on copper-nickel clad issues. But wartime production pressures in the 1940s generated enough specimens to keep error hunters searching.

Value: A 1942 Walking Liberty with a lamination error was documented at $30. Minor laminations on common-date coins add minimal premium — often less than you’d expect given the error label.

Dramatic examples where a large flake has lifted or separated can bring $100 to $200 in higher grades. No Walking Liberty lamination has sold for a significant price at Heritage or Stack’s Bowers.

How to Identify: Look for areas where the surface appears to be peeling, bubbling, or separating in horizontal layers. Use a 5x to 10x loupe under angled light.

Genuine laminations follow the horizontal plane of the metal — the separation runs parallel to the coin’s surface, not at an angle. Post-mint gouges cut into the metal at varying depths and directions, which is the key distinction.

The coin should weigh the standard 12.50 grams; laminations remove only surface material, not significant mass. Check for luster continuity around the flaw — mint-state laminations show undisturbed luster at the edges of the separation.

The fastest confirmation: if the split runs parallel to the surface and original luster surrounds the edges, it’s a lamination.

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2. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Struck Through Error (Up to $500)

Struck-through errors happen when foreign material gets trapped between the die and planchet during striking. The object’s shape is pressed into the coin, leaving a flattened or obscured area.

Common contaminants in the Walking Liberty era include grease, cloth fibers, wire, and metal shavings from the production line. One documented 1943-P was struck through grease, completely obliterating the letters “OLLAR” from “DOLLAR” on the reverse.

A 1934 struck-through-grease example was certified NGC MS62. Grease fills produce smooth, featureless depressions, while solid objects leave textured imprints that can sometimes be identified under magnification.

Value: No Walking Liberty struck-through has sold for a major five-figure sum at auction. The 1934 NGC MS62 and the 1943-P with missing “OLLAR” represent the better-documented pieces, though specific sold prices are limited in public records.

General market values range from $50 for minor instances to $500 or more for dramatic examples where substantial design portions are missing. Certification adds credibility here since struck-throughs can be confused with post-mint damage.

How to Identify: Look for areas where the design appears flattened or replaced by an impression that doesn’t match the intended design. Under 10x magnification, grease-filled die errors show smooth, featureless depressions where detail should be.

Solid object strike-throughs retain the texture of whatever was trapped — fabric weave, wire pattern, or metallic debris. Don’t confuse grease fills with wear: wear removes metal gradually from high points across the entire coin, while grease fills create sharply defined patches surrounded by fully struck detail.

The coin should weigh 12.50 grams and measure 30.61mm. Strike-throughs don’t affect dimensions.

If the contaminant material is still embedded in the surface, that’s a “retained struck-through” worth significantly more. The fastest test: magnify the affected area and check whether the depression has a smooth, uniform floor (grease) or identifiable texture (foreign object).

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3. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Clipped Planchet Error (Up to $500)

Clipped planchets happen when the blanking press malfunctions. The metal strip doesn’t advance properly, and the punch overlaps a previously cut hole or catches the strip’s edge.

The result is a coin with a curved or straight bite taken from its rim. Curved clips are most common; straight clips and ragged clips appear less frequently.

Walking Liberty halves with clips are moderately scarce, and the larger coin size makes clips more visually dramatic than on smaller denominations. A 1944-S with a minor rim clip in VF-20 sold for just $2, while AU examples trade near $39.

Value: Small curved clips under 10% of the circumference sell for $50 to $150. Larger clips removing 15% to 25% bring $200 to $400.

Multiple clips on the same coin — sometimes called “bitten” errors — can reach $500 or more. A 1943 Walking Liberty with a curved clip was offered through GreatCollections in ANACS VF-30, and certified examples consistently command higher prices than raw specimens.

How to Identify: The Blakesley Effect is the primary authentication method. On a genuine mint clip, the rim directly opposite the missing area will appear weak, flat, or washed out — the upsetting mill cannot apply even pressure where metal is absent.

If the rim is sharp and full opposite the clip, someone altered the coin after it left the Mint. Use calipers to verify the clip follows a consistent curve matching the blanking punch diameter.

Weigh the coin — it should come in under 12.50 grams, proportional to the missing metal. Check the design near the clip; it will often look slightly flat because less metal was available to fill the die in that area.

Sharp angular edges, tool marks, or file scratches all indicate post-mint alteration. The fastest confirmation: check for the Blakesley Effect on the rim directly opposite the clip.

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4. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Broadstrike Error (Up to $2,000)

A broadstrike occurs when a coin is struck outside the retaining collar that normally constrains the metal and forms the proper diameter. Without the collar, metal spreads outward under the press’s force.

The result is a coin that’s wider and thinner than normal, with a plain, distorted edge instead of the usual 150 reeded grooves. Walking Liberty broadstrikes are exceptionally rare.

A 1945 PCGS AU55 broadstrike is one of the few documented examples. The critical diagnostic rule: the full design must appear on both faces — if any design is cut off, it’s an off-center strike, not a broadstrike.

Value: Walking Liberty broadstrikes rarely surface at auction, making firm pricing difficult. The 1945 PCGS AU55 represents one of the few confirmed specimens.

Based on extreme rarity and the series’ collector base, values typically range from several hundred to $2,000 depending on the degree of expansion and condition. No Walking Liberty broadstrike has set a public record at Heritage or Stack’s Bowers.

How to Identify: Measure the diameter first. A broadstrike will exceed the standard 30.61mm because the metal expanded without collar constraint — use calipers for an accurate reading.

The coin will be thinner than normal, and the edge will be plain or irregularly shaped rather than reeded. Weigh it — the coin should still hit 12.50 grams since no metal is missing, just redistributed.

The distinction from off-center strikes is critical: on a broadstrike, the complete design must be visible on both sides. If any portion of the design is cut off, it’s an off-center strike.

Check that the rim is absent or distorted all the way around — localized rim damage on one side suggests post-mint damage. The fastest confirmation: complete design on both sides plus a plain edge on a wider-than-normal coin.

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5. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Repunched Mint Mark Error (Up to $5,000)

Repunched mint marks occurred when workers punched the mint mark onto a die multiple times. If the first punch was unclear, a second strike at a different angle created overlapping letter impressions.

The 1916-D/D FS-501 is the most valuable Walking Liberty RPM — the second D sits partially under and to the left of the primary D. That coin gets a boost from 1916-D already being a key date.

The 1946-S/S has over half a letter of visible separation between punches. Other documented RPMs include 1941-D/D, 1944-S/S, and 1939-D/D.

Value: The 1916-D/D FS-501 can reach $5,000 in collector-grade condition, driven by its dual status as both an RPM and a key date. Most common-date RPMs trade for $20 to $200 depending on separation distance and coin grade.

GreatCollections has sold the 1944-S/S FS-502 three times over 15 years at prices from $24 to $260 in grades 30 to 64. The wider the separation between punches, the higher the premium.

How to Identify: Examine the mint mark under 10x to 20x magnification. You’re looking for a secondary impression — a ghost of the letter D or S — slightly offset from the primary mark.

On the 1916-D/D, the second D is partially under and to the left. On the 1946-S/S, the second S has over half a letter of clear separation.

Don’t confuse RPMs with machine doubling on the mint mark, which creates flat, shelf-like shadows without distinct letter form. Genuine RPMs show two separate, fully formed letter impressions with proper depth and definition.

Note that the mint mark location changed in 1917 from obverse to reverse — check the right side of the coin for your date. The fastest confirmation: two distinct, well-defined letter impressions with clear separation.

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6. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Missing Initials Error (Up to $6,000)

The Missing Initials variety (FS-901) occurs when aggressive die polishing removes Adolph Weinman’s shallow “AW” monogram from the reverse. Mint workers polished dies to extend their service life, and the shallowest features were the first casualties.

A related variety is the 1944-D Hand Engraved Initials (also designated FS-901), where a mint worker crudely re-engraved the missing “AW” by hand. The hand-cut letters look noticeably different from the original hub-transferred design — thinner, broader, and lacking sculptural refinement.

Multiple years produced FS-901 specimens, including 1941 “No AW,” 1943-S, 1944, 1944-D, and 1945. The 1945 is the most widely collected.

Value: A 1945 FS-901 Missing Initials in MS66 sold at Heritage Auctions in October 2019 for $6,000. At MS65, the variety is valued at $312 to $1,500 versus $115 to $200 for a regular 1945 at the same grade.

The 1944-D Hand Engraved Initials reached $3,290 in MS67+ at Heritage Auctions in August 2014. GreatCollections has sold 17 examples of the 1944-D variety from $31 to $1,412 across grades 12 to 67.

How to Identify: Check the reverse field beneath the eagle’s left wingtip (viewer’s right side). On standard coins, Weinman’s “AW” initials appear as small raised letters.

On FS-901 specimens, the area is smooth and empty — or only a faint ghost of the “W” remains. For the 1944-D Hand Engraved variety, the “AW” is present but looks crude and misshapen compared to the normal sculpted monogram.

Don’t confuse die-polished missing initials with wear. On a genuinely worn coin, the initials fade along with all surrounding design elements gradually.

On FS-901 coins, sharp detail is present everywhere except where the die was polished flat.

Weight and diameter remain standard at 12.50g and 30.61mm. The fastest confirmation: sharp surrounding design detail combined with a completely smooth field where “AW” should be.

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7. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Doubled Die Reverse Error (Up to $12,500)

Doubled die reverse errors form when the hub impresses the working die twice with a slight misalignment. Every coin struck from that die carries identical doubling on the reverse.

The 1946 DDR FS-801 is the series’ most famous doubled die. Doubling is especially visible on the eagle’s left wings and on E PLURIBUS UNUM — particularly the L in PLURIBUS and the second U in UNUM.

The 1942 DDR FS-801 is less common but equally dramatic, with splits on HALF DOLLAR and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. On many 1946 specimens, the doubling shows without magnification.

Value: The 1946 DDR FS-801 record stands at $9,400 for an MS66+ sold at Heritage Auctions in 2017. GreatCollections has moved 98 examples over 14 years, with prices from $27 to $6,669 across grades 1 to 66+.

The 1942 DDR FS-801 commands up to $12,500 in higher certified grades. For circulated examples of either variety, expect $27 to $200 depending on grade and doubling visibility.

How to Identify: Start with the reverse lettering under 5x to 10x magnification. On the 1946 DDR FS-801, the L in PLURIBUS and the second U in UNUM show the strongest doubling — on clean specimens, it’s visible without a loupe.

On the 1942 DDR FS-801, check HALF DOLLAR and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA for split lettering. Genuine doubled dies show two distinct impressions with rounded separation.

Machine doubling — which is worthless — creates flat, shelf-like shadows that lack crisp letter definition. The eagle’s wing feathers and olive branch are secondary diagnostic areas on both varieties.

Weight and diameter remain standard at 12.50g and 30.61mm. The fastest confirmation: clearly separated, fully formed doubled impressions on the L in PLURIBUS (1946) or HALF DOLLAR (1942).

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8. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Doubled Die Obverse Error (Up to $15,000)

Doubled die obverse errors form when the hub and die shift between impressions, creating doubled images on the coin’s front. On Walking Liberty halves, the strongest doubling appears on “IN GOD WE TRUST,” the date, and Liberty’s lower gown folds.

On genuine DDOs, both sets of text are raised from the field with crisp definition — unlike flat, worthless strike doubling. The 1936 DDO FS-101 is the series heavyweight.

It shows doubling on the date, motto, skirt folds, shoes, and ground. The coin brought $15,000 in VG10 — a steep price for a grade most collectors barely consider.

Value: The 1936 DDO FS-101 achieved $15,000 in VG10 at auction — the highest price for any Walking Liberty doubled die variety. The 1936-D DDO FS-101 sold for $5,760 in MS67 at Heritage Auctions.

The 1946 DDO FS-101 brought $2,585 in MS66. Lower-grade DDOs from common dates trade in the $50 to $500 range depending on doubling strength, and the 1936 Philadelphia issue consistently commands the highest premiums.

How to Identify: Focus on “IN GOD WE TRUST” and the date using a 10x loupe. Genuine doubled die doubling shows two distinct, raised impressions with rounded separation.

On the 1936 DDO, also check Liberty’s lower skirt folds and shoes for doubled contour lines. Machine doubling produces flat, mushy shadows without definition — it’s the single most misidentified “error” in the Walking Liberty series.

If only one design element shows doubling while everything else looks normal, suspect machine doubling rather than a true DDO. Genuine die varieties affect multiple elements consistently because the entire die was doubled during hubbing.

Weight remains 12.50g, and cross-referencing against Cherrypickers’ Guide FS numbers for your specific date is recommended. The fastest confirmation: crisp, raised doubling on both “IN GOD WE TRUST” and the date simultaneously.

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9. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Wrong Planchet Error (Up to $21,000)

Wrong planchet errors happen when half dollar dies strike a blank intended for a different denomination — or a foreign coin. During WWII, the US Mint produced coinage for allied nations, creating chances for blanks to land in the wrong press.

The most famous example is the 1942 “Headless Walker,” struck on a quarter planchet. The smaller blank was positioned so that Liberty’s head fell completely beyond the die’s reach.

Only about 14 Walking Liberty halves on quarter planchets are known. Dime planchet strikes are even rarer — most show only partial design because the blank is far too small.

Value: A 1943-S struck on a Peruvian Half Sol planchet — one of only two known — sold for $21,000 in MS63 at auction. The 1942 “Headless Walker” on a quarter planchet brought $16,200 at Stack’s Bowers in 2018.

Another 1942 quarter planchet example realized $12,337.50 in AU-58. A dime planchet specimen in AU55 sold for $4,560 at Heritage Auctions, confirming strong demand across all wrong planchet subtypes in this series.

How to Identify: Wrong planchet errors are immediately obvious once you know the specs. A quarter planchet measures 24.26mm versus the correct 30.61mm, and a dime planchet is just 17.91mm — major portions of the design will be cut off.

Weigh the coin carefully. A Walking Liberty on a quarter planchet weighs approximately 6.25 grams; on a dime planchet, about 2.50 grams — nowhere near the standard 12.50 grams.

Foreign planchets may show different alloy compositions that subtly affect color and surface texture. The Peruvian Half Sol planchet uses a different silver alloy than US coinage.

Because these errors are extremely valuable and counterfeits exist, professional authentication through PCGS or NGC is mandatory before buying or selling. The fastest confirmation: a Walking Liberty design on a coin that weighs far less than 12.50 grams.

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10. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Off-Center Strike Error (Up to $23,000)

Off-center strikes occur when a planchet isn’t properly positioned between the dies. Part of the design strikes normally while the rest of the planchet remains as an unstruck crescent of bare metal.

The percentage off-center directly drives value. The collector sweet spot is 40% to 60% off-center — dramatic enough to be visually arresting, with enough design remaining to confirm the coin’s identity.

One Walking Liberty struck 70% off-center, showing only Liberty from the waist down, commanded $23,000. A 1943 struck 60% off-center realized $8,700 at Heritage — even with a “Cleaned” designation from NGC.

Value: The 70% off-center specimen holds the category record at $23,000. The 1943 60% off-center brought $8,700 at Heritage Auctions despite its “NGC Details — Cleaned” designation.

Minor 5% to 10% off-center strikes sell for $100 to $200, while 20% to 30% examples with a visible date jump to $400 to $700. The larger coin diameter makes even modest off-center shifts visually impressive on this series.

How to Identify: Off-center strikes are among the easiest errors to spot — a crescent of blank, unstruck metal on one side makes them unmistakable. The struck portion should show full design detail with proper depth.

Check that the transition between struck design and blank area is smooth and natural, not sharp or angular. An off-center coin should weigh the standard 12.50 grams since no metal is removed.

If the design is fully present on both sides but the coin is wider than normal with a plain edge, that’s a broadstrike — different error category. Date visibility is critical for value: no readable date means significantly less money.

Post-mint alterations will show tool marks or disrupted luster at the boundary. The fastest confirmation: a crescent of blank metal on one side with fully detailed, lustrous design on the other.

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11. Walking Liberty Half Dollar Double Strike Error (Up to $41,125)

Double strikes happen when a coin fails to eject from the press after its first impression and gets struck a second time. The second hit lands at a different position, creating two overlapping images on the same planchet.

The 1945-S is the most famous example. After a normal first strike, the coin shifted and received a second impression 55% off-center.

Heritage Auctions called it “the most dramatic multi-struck Liberty Walking Half Dollar known.” Two full-force impressions overlapping at an angle on a large silver half dollar make the visual effect hard to overstate.

Value: The 1945-S double strike with 55% off-center second impression sold for $41,125 at Heritage Auctions in MS63 condition. Heritage sold another Walking Liberty double strike for $32,900.

On-center double strikes — where the second impression lands nearly on top of the first with slight rotation — bring less than off-center doubles because the visual effect is subtler. The combination of extreme rarity and dramatic two-image overlap ensures aggressive bidding whenever one surfaces.

How to Identify: Double strikes show two distinct impressions on the same planchet. On off-center doubles, you see the first strike’s complete design plus a second, shifted impression creating a dramatic overlap effect.

On-center doubles show rotational offset, with design elements appearing doubled at the edges. Use a 5x loupe to confirm both impressions carry full die detail and proper depth.

The coin should weigh approximately 12.50 grams — it’s a single planchet struck twice, not two coins fused together. Machine doubling creates flat, worthless shadows on a single-struck coin and looks nothing like a genuine double strike.

Check the edge for irregular reeding where the collar couldn’t contain the shifted second impression. The fastest confirmation: two completely independent, fully formed design impressions visible on the same coin.

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Conclusion

Walking Liberty Half Dollar errors range from $30 lamination flaws to a $41,125 double strike. The practical sweet spot sits between $50 and $5,000, where RPMs, clipped planchets, and FS-901 varieties offer genuine errors at accessible prices.

Five-figure pieces — DDOs, wrong planchets, double strikes — surface at major auctions once or twice a decade. With 90% silver content providing a built-in melt floor, the downside on any Walking Liberty error is limited.