JEFF BURKE'S NEW WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR

"Researching and Selecting One Liberty Walking Half Dollar Type Coin"
Jeff Burke

For the past several years, I had fun assembling a small collection of high-grade, well-struck and inexpensive U.S. type coins in my favorite series: Indian Head cents, Lincoln cents, Buffalo nickels, Mercury dimes, Liberty Walking half dollars, Morgan dollars, and Saint-Gaudens double eagles.

I have always admired the design of the Liberty Walking half dollar. In 2006, I purchased a 1938-D Liberty Walking Half Dollar PGGS MS-65 from Don Willis of Premium Numismatics in Huntington Beach, California. I was so excited to own this "Lustrous gem! Tremendous luster swirls around both sides. Silky white surfaces. Nicely struck although no split thumb. In an older green holder" (Premium Numismatics website description).

I cherished this lovely piece for many years before deciding to sell it along with several other coins in order to purchase my high-grade Saint-Gaudens double eagle in 2019. Now it was time to direct my attention to find a representative Liberty Walking half dollar to complete my U.S. type coin collecting goal.

Prior to embarking on the search process, I reread sections of Collecting and Investing Strategies for Walking Liberty Half Dollars, Jeff Ambio, 2008; A Guide Book of Mercury Dimes, Standing Liberty Quarters and Liberty Walking Half Dollars, Q. David Bowers, 2015; Cash in Your Coins: Selling the Rare Coins You've Inherited, Beth Deisher, 2013; Coin Chemistry: Including Preservation and Cleaning, Weimar W. White, 2006; The New York Times Guide to Coin Collecting, Ed Reiter, 2002; Collecting Rare Coins for Pleasure and Profit: An Insider's Guide to Today's Market, Q. David Bowers, 2011; and Collecting Coins in Retirement: An Action Guide and Estate Advice for Hobbyists and Their Families, Tom Bilotta, 2016.

After studying the possibilities, I decided to pursue a high-end 1945-D Liberty Walking half dollar in MS-64, which fit my price range. According to Jeff Ambio, "The 1945-D was struck to a higher standard of quality than any other Denver Mint Walking Liberty Half Dollar from 1941-1945. Examples are rarely encountered with less than bold definition…." (Ambio, Collecting and Investing Strategies, p. 166).

Perhaps the most exciting part of this process was considering various pieces online before making a final choice. For me, the winner was a 1945-D Liberty Walking Half Dollar PCGS MS-64 from Bonanza Coins that I spotted on Collectors Corner. I had such feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment once this coin was selected and ordered! I'm very pleased with the overall look of this Weinman masterpiece.

This magnificent coin arrived in the mail today (December 7). I had to shelter our two cats from the blinding luster! My most-liked U.S. denomination type coin series is now complete.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
JEFF BURKE'S NEW 1880-S MORGAN DOLLAR (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n48a18.html)

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