1936 50C Walking Liberty Half Dollar PCGS PR66+ (CAC) - extraordinary toning

A stunning example of Adolph Weinman’s numismatic masterpiece, the Walking Liberty half dollar. Take a look at the beautiful images of this specimen, with its dramatic patina. The coin is a colorful canvas, with splashes of orange, yellow, russet, green, magenta, green, and aqua. PCGS has graded 20 as PR66+ with 79 finer. Collectors Universe prices this issue at $7,250.00 in PR66+. In CAC, there are 122 in PR66/66+ with 34 finer.

David Hall writes of this issue, “In 1936, proof half dollars were struck for the first time since 1915. A mere 3901 proof specimens were struck in 1936 and when compared to the mintages in the millions for the modern era proofs it is easy to see why this issue is so highly regarded …. The 1936 proof half dollar is scarce in any grade and rare in Gem condition. It is by far the rarest proof Walking Liberty half dollar. Most, but not all, specimens have good depth of mirror .… Specimens can be either fully brilliant or toned.”

Compare Oscar Roty’s Sower coin (above) with Weinman’s Walking Liberty (below).

When Oscar Roty crafted his sower coin (La Semeuse in French), which was first struck in 1897, it sparked a numismatic revolution. The image of Liberty no longer needed to be a static Greco-Roman style bust. Le Semeuse was a realistic figure of Liberty, barefooted with a determined look in her eyes. She walks naturally while sowing the field with her bag of seeds. A Phrygian cap atop her head and her hair flowing behind her, Liberty is not a waif but an attractive, substantial woman. Perhaps the coin's image is a metaphor for France sowing the seeds of Liberty in France and elsewhere in the world.

The year 1916 saw Adolf Weinman's Walking Liberty design debut upon the American half dollar. It was noticed that Weinman's coin bears a striking resemblance to Roty's La Semeuse. Placing the two coins side by side, one sees a few similarities. Both figures are facing left and walking in that direction. Weinman's dress is a fancier version of Roty's neo-Classical garb. However, the Walking Liberty seems to be truly inspired by La Semeuse.

Weinman's son Robert was asked about the similarity and he said, "You know, they seem to be cousins. As to whether Dad actually used it, I can’t answer. The only thing I can say is that oftentimes, I think, an artist is guiltless in such situations. He may see something in 1897 that strikes his fancy, and all of a sudden it pops up unannounced two decades later. Is it a steal? Has it been cooking in his subconscious? It’s hard to say. They’re close, certainly, but I do think the Walking Liberty is distinctly American in appearance.”