1927-S 50C

1929-D 50C

1928-S 50C (Regular Strike)

Series: Walking Liberty Half Dollars 1916-1947

PCGS MS66+

PCGS MS66

PCGS #:: 6588

Designer:: Adolph Alexander Weinman

Edge:: Reeded

Diameter:: 30.00 millimeters

Weight:: 12.50 grams

Mintage:: 1,940,000

Mint:: San Francisco

Metal:: 90% Silver, 10% Copper

Auction Record:: $31,200 • MS66 • 05-04-2025 • Heritage Auctions

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1928-S 50C

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Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More

Grades	Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts' opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.	Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.	Relative Rarity By Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.	Relative Rarity By Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
All Grades	95,000	R-2.0	20 / 66 TIE	20 / 66 TIE
60 or Better	1,000	R-5.0	12 / 66	12 / 66
65 or Better	90	R-8.1	12 / 66 TIE	12 / 66 TIE

Survival Estimate
All Grades	95,000
60 or Better	1,000
65 or Better	90

Numismatic Rarity
All Grades	R-2.0
60 or Better	R-5.0
65 or Better	R-8.1

Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type
All Grades	20 / 66 TIE
60 or Better	12 / 66
65 or Better	12 / 66 TIE

Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series
All Grades	20 / 66 TIE
60 or Better	12 / 66
65 or Better	12 / 66 TIE

Condition Census What Is This?

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	PCGS MS66+	As PCGS MS66 #01609026. “The Ally Collection,” Heritage Auctions, July 29, 2002, Lot 8531 – $11,500; Heritage Auctions, September 2002, Lot 7058; Heritage Auctions, August 2015, Lot 4140 – $25,850. As PCGS MS66+ #01609026. Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2018, Lot 4889 – $28,800. As PCGS MS66+ #38964865. Ron Bauer.
2	PCGS MS66	Stack's Bowers, November 18, 2025, Lot 3057 - $28,800.
2	PCGS MS66	Heritag Auctions, May 4, 2025, Lot 3849 - $31,200.
2	PCGS MS66	GreatCollections, March 21, 2024, Lot 865653 - $15,312.38.
2	PCGS MS66	Legend Rare Coin Auctions, April 27, 2023, Lot 321 – $15,275; "The Van and David's Old School Walkers Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Brilliant.
2	PCGS MS66	As NGC MS66. “The George Gardner Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, November 6, 2013, Lot 2098 – $15,275. As NGC MS66 #3853442-002. Heritage Auctions, July 11, 2019, Lot 3065 – $7,800. As PCGS MS66 #38379112. Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2020, Lot 3889 - $10,200; "The Petraglia Legacy Collection" (PCGS Set Registry).
2	PCGS MS66	Legend Rare Coin Auctions, July 26, 2018, Lot 341 - $19,387.50.
2	PCGS MS66	As PCGS MS65 #25686119. Heritage Auctions, September 17, 2015, Lot 3972 – $8,812.50. As PCGS MS66 #25787726. “The Digiovanni de Abruzzi Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2018, Lot 4888 – $13,200; Heritage Auctions, April 26, 2018, Lot 4262 – $11,400. As PCGS MS66 #35661904. "The Duffy Family Walking Liberty Set" (PCGS Set Registry).
2	PCGS MS66	As PCGS MS66 #3023566: Heritage Auctions, November 3, 2005, Lot 2178 – $21,275. As PCGS MS66 #58784872.
2	PCGS MS66	“The Nicholas Collection,” Heritage Auctions, May 6, 2004, Lot 7658 – $25,300.
2	PCGS MS66	"The Gerald Forsythe Collection" (PCGS Set Registry).
2	PCGS MS66	"The Driftwood Walking Liberty Half Mint Set" (PCGS Set Registry).
2	PCGS MS66	The G.B.W. Collection.
2	PCGS MS66

#1 PCGS MS66+

As PCGS MS66 #01609026. “The Ally Collection,” Heritage Auctions, July 29, 2002, Lot 8531 – $11,500; Heritage Auctions, September 2002, Lot 7058; Heritage Auctions, August 2015, Lot 4140 – $25,850. As PCGS MS66+ #01609026. Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2018, Lot 4889 – $28,800. As PCGS MS66+ #38964865. Ron Bauer.

#2 PCGS MS66

Stack's Bowers, November 18, 2025, Lot 3057 - $28,800.

#2 PCGS MS66

Heritag Auctions, May 4, 2025, Lot 3849 - $31,200.

#2 PCGS MS66

GreatCollections, March 21, 2024, Lot 865653 - $15,312.38.

#2 PCGS MS66

Legend Rare Coin Auctions, April 27, 2023, Lot 321 – $15,275; "The Van and David's Old School Walkers Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Brilliant.

#2 PCGS MS66

As NGC MS66. “The George Gardner Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, November 6, 2013, Lot 2098 – $15,275. As NGC MS66 #3853442-002. Heritage Auctions, July 11, 2019, Lot 3065 – $7,800. As PCGS MS66 #38379112. Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2020, Lot 3889 - $10,200; "The Petraglia Legacy Collection" (PCGS Set Registry).

#2 PCGS MS66

Legend Rare Coin Auctions, July 26, 2018, Lot 341 - $19,387.50.

#2 PCGS MS66

As PCGS MS65 #25686119. Heritage Auctions, September 17, 2015, Lot 3972 – $8,812.50. As PCGS MS66 #25787726. “The Digiovanni de Abruzzi Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2018, Lot 4888 – $13,200; Heritage Auctions, April 26, 2018, Lot 4262 – $11,400. As PCGS MS66 #35661904. "The Duffy Family Walking Liberty Set" (PCGS Set Registry).

#2 PCGS MS66

As PCGS MS66 #3023566: Heritage Auctions, November 3, 2005, Lot 2178 – $21,275. As PCGS MS66 #58784872.

#2 PCGS MS66

“The Nicholas Collection,” Heritage Auctions, May 6, 2004, Lot 7658 – $25,300.

#2 PCGS MS66

"The Gerald Forsythe Collection" (PCGS Set Registry).

#2 PCGS MS66

"The Driftwood Walking Liberty Half Mint Set" (PCGS Set Registry).

#2 PCGS MS66

The G.B.W. Collection.

#2 PCGS MS66

Charles Morgan:

The 1928-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar

While public reception for Adolph A. Weinman’s Walking Liberty Half Dollar was enthusiastic, production throughout the 1920s remained sporadic. The silver dollar minting requirements mandated by the Pittman Act of 1918 diverted significant coining capacity away from subsidiary silver. During this decade, the San Francisco Mint carried the bulk of the burden, striking nearly 60% of all Walking Liberty Half Dollars produced and accounting for 100% of the entire 1928 issue (1,940,000 pieces).

Collecting the 1928-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar

Replicating Weinman’s artistic design presented severe technical challenges for Mint engravers. Because the highest relief points of the obverse (Liberty’s head and torso) aligned directly opposite the highest relief points of the reverse (the eagle’s breast and legs), metal failed to flow completely into the die cavities during impression. Despite minor die modifications in 1918 and further redesigns in the 1930s, San Francisco strikes remained notoriously weak, typically displaying flat details on Liberty’s left hand, skirt lines, and the eagle’s breast feathers. Echoing David Hall's remarks following this coin narrative, I, too, have yet to personally examine a 1928-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar (#6588) that is particularly well struck.

* * *

David Hall:

The 1928-S in scarce in higher circulated grades and quite rare in mint state. It is definitely one of the key dates in the series in Gem condition. The 1928-S is a little rarer than the 1927-S, but not quite as rare as the 1923-S. Strike can be a real problem with this issue and there are many mint state specimens that are very weakly struck on Ms. liberty's hand and in the central eagle's feathers on the reverse. Even a decent strike is very rare and I cannot recall seeing an example that I would call well struck. Luster can be white and somewhat frosty, but toned mint state coins seem to be in the majority.