1933-S 50C Walking Liberty Half Dollar NGC MS65

Historic Issue from the Great Depression

Here’s a pristine beauty to include in your collection, one with Adolph Weinman’s iconic Walking Liberty design upon it. This is a better date in the Walking Liberty series (1916-1947). NGC has graded 126 as MS65 with 107 finer. Collector’s Universe prices this issue at $3,500.00 in MS65.

The year 1933 saw the Great Depression hit its depths, resulting in limited coinage production. There were no nickels, dimes, or quarters struck in that watershed year. However, the San Francisco Mint struck a large amount of half dollars (1,786,000) that year.

Writes NGC Coin Explorer, “This issue is remarkable for being among the most consistently well struck coins in the series. Mint State survivors are plentiful, and the number of gems is quite high for one of the "early date" pieces from 1916-33. Worn examples are very common through the grade of Fine.”

Unemployed men are lined up in front of a soup kitchen in Chicago that was run by Al Capone during the Great Depression, February 1931. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.