1917-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar – 90% Silver – Ungraded Coin (Obverse Mintmark Variety)
Coin Overview
This listing is for a 1917-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar, struck at the San Francisco Mint. Containing 90% silver, this is a classic and highly collectible piece of United States numismatic history. Designed by renowned sculptor Adolph A. Weinman, the coin is widely considered one of the most beautiful designs ever produced for U.S. coinage .
This is the scarce Obverse Mintmark variety, meaning the "S" is located on the heads side. In early 1917, the U.S. Mint placed the mintmark on the obverse below the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST." Only 952,000 of these obverse-mintmark coins were struck before the mintmark was moved to the reverse midway through the year .
This low mintage—fewer than one million pieces—makes the 1917-S Obverse Mintmark a key date in the Walking Liberty series .
Design & Specifications
| Denomination | 50 Cents (Half Dollar) |
| Year of Issue | 1917 |
| Mint Mark | S (San Francisco) – located on the obverse (heads side), below the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" |
| Variety | Obverse Mintmark |
| Mintage | 952,000 |
| Composition | 90% Silver, 10% Copper |
| Weight | 12.50 grams |
| Diameter | 30.6 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | Adolph Alexander Weinman |
Obverse (Heads Side)
The obverse features a full-length figure of Lady Liberty striding confidently toward the rising sun on the left. Her right arm is outstretched, and her left arm carries laurel and oak branches, symbolizing civil and military glory. She wears the Stars and Stripes as a cape. The inscriptions LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST appear alongside the date, 1917. The "S" mint mark is located below the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" .
Reverse (Tails Side)
The reverse shows a powerful bald eagle perched on a rocky mountain crag, with wings elevated in a defensive posture. The inscriptions read UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and HALF DOLLAR . As an Obverse Mintmark variety, this side bears no mint mark.
Value & Condition
This coin is being sold in its ungraded state, meaning it has not been professionally assessed by a third-party grading service like PCGS or NGC. The value can vary significantly based on the coin's physical condition.
