If you are an avid coin collector, you may already know the value of the old half dollar coins. There are so many of them to collect, but the most available ones are not always the most valuable. Also, the rarest to find does not always translate to an increase in value.
The 1934 half dollar is one of the best-looking coins in the history of U.S. coinage. It features Liberty studying or walking toward the sun, hence its popular name. It also has the image of an eagle about to take off from a mountaintop.
The value of this half dollar depends on several factors, including grading and dates. So, let’s go ahead and find out the actual worth of the coin in this article. You may have coins worth thousands of dollars if you have a number of them.
1934 Half Dollar Details
Several details can increase or decrease the value of any coin, and to a trained grader, they make all the difference. The following are the vital details of the 1934 half dollar that may point to its overall value.
- Category: Walking Liberty Half Dollars
- Mint: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco
- Mintage: 12,977,000
- Obverse Designer: Adolph A. Weinman
- Reverse Designer: Adolph A. Weinman
- Metal Composition: 90% Silver, 10% copper
- Edge: Reeded
- Fineness: 0.36169 troy oz.
- Weight: 12.50 grams
- Diameter: 30.63 mm
- Thickness: 1.8 mm
While this coin is not the best available in all the U.S. coinage history, it has a beautiful design that demanded intricate work and striking at the mints. The design required attention and careful work to achieve the result on the coins, which was a difficult task. Consequently, the design never struck well.
Three mints struck the 1934 half dollar: the San Francisco mint, the Philadelphia mint, and the Denver mint. The Philly mint is the main one used by the United States government and coins from that location typically do not carry a mint mark.
However, the half dollar coins struck at the San Francisco and Denver mints have distinct mint marks on the reverse side. The reverse side of the coin features the image o the eagle flying off a mountaintop. The marks may be easy to miss, but you will find them under the tree on the left side. The coin will bear an ‘S’ or ‘D’ mint mark close to the rim on that side.
1934 Half Dollar Value Chart
You may have half dollar coins bearing different mint marks or no mint marks. If you have one of each kind, the chart below shows the value of each type based on its grading or coin condition.
Mint Mark | Good | Fine | Extremely Fine | About Uncirculated (AU-50) | Uncirculated |
1934 No Mint Mark Half Dollar | $7.87 | $10.82 | $11.80 | $30 | $71 |
1934 ‘D’ Half Dollar | $7.87 | $10.82 | $35 | $80 | $100 |
1934 ‘S’ Half Dollar | $7.87 | $11.80 | $37 | $106 | $307 |
The prices on this chart can change with the fluctuations in the precious metals market. However, the price difference is not much, and you can see that the half dollar with the ‘S’ mint mark is more valuable than the others.
This depends on the buyer or collector, the date, and the condition of the coin. Some collectors may be willing to pay more for a D coin to complete a specific collection. It does not matter the condition of the coin; finding the right one is more important to them.
A 1934 ‘D’ half dollar in MS 67 once sold for about $95,000, while a no-mint mark half dollar of the same year in the same condition sold for only $1,800. Also, a 1934-S half dollar in MS 66+ once sold for about $63,000. In other words, a few details can increase or decrease the value.
Grade
One of the primary points of value for any coin is the grade, also known as the coin condition. Understanding the condition of your coin will help you get the best value from a buyer. Without the right information, you may sell it at a giveaway price.
If a coin is uncirculated, it means it was never released or was stored for future uses. In other words, it has no wear and has not lost any shine. It should glisten and shine, showing full mint luster when you hold it up to the light. A coin in this condition will fetch good money, especially with the right mint mark.
An extremely fine coin will not have the same look or feel as an uncirculated coin. It usually looks like it has lost some of its luster and parts of the design in high relief will be dull. However, the design will still have clear and distinguishable features, and the date will still be visible.
Coins in fine and good condition may look the same, but the former condition is usually slightly better than the latter condition. A coin collector will prefer a 1934 half dollar in fine condition than one in good condition because the design features will be more distinguishable.
1934 Half Dollar Value and Varieties Guides
Separating the half dollar coins based on their mint marks explains details that add or remove from their value. Below is a detailed value guide for each type.
1934 No Mint Mark Half Dollar
- Type: Walking Liberty Half Dollars
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint Mark: None
- Minting Place: Philadelphia
- Minting Year: 1934
- Face Value: 50 cents
- Price: $7 to $71 (or more)
- Quantity Produced: 7,000,000
- Designer: Adolph A. Weinman
- % Metal Composition: 90% Silver, 10% copper
- Mass: 12.50 grams
- Diameter: 30.63 mm
The 1934 half dollar with no mint mark was struck in Philly and accounts for more than half of the available Walking Liberty half dollars of that year. Because of its availability, it is Abundant on the rarity scale, making it the least valuable of the minted half dollar coins of that year.
It is easy to identify; inspect the reverse side of the coin for a mint mark. Typically, the mark should be under the tree and close to the rim on the left side of the coin. If you find no mint mark, the coin is a Philly-minted half dollar. Nevertheless, it may still be worth a good sum in the right market.
1934 D Half Dollar
- Type: Walking Liberty Half Dollars
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint Mark: D
- Minting Place: Denver
- Minting Year: 1934
- Face Value: 50 cents
- Price: $7 to $100 (or more)
- Quantity Produced: 2,361,400
- Designer: Adolph A. Weinman
- % Metal Composition: 90% Silver, 10% copper
- Mass: 12.50 grams
- Diameter: 30.63 mm
This half dollar was minted in Denver and has the D mint mark on the reverse side. There were fewer of them minted that year, so the coin has more value than the coin minted in the Philly mint. As a result, the value is higher because of its rarity and mint mark.
The mint mark on a coin is vital in determining its value. Coins with no mint mark are typically more in circulation, making them common. However, coins with a D or S mint mark tend to fetch more money because they are fewer in circulation. This is not always the case, and this factor does not always affect the coin value.
1934 S Half Dollar
- Type: Walking Liberty Half Dollars
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint Mark: S
- Minting Place: San Francisco
- Minting Year: 1934
- Face Value: 50 cents
- Price: $7 to $307 (or more)
- Quantity Produced: 3,652,000
- Designer: Adolph A. Weinman
- % Metal Composition: 90% Silver, 10% copper
- Mass: 12.50 grams
- Diameter: 30.63 mm
The San Francisco-minted 1934 half dollars are the most sought-after on the list. They attract the best value, although they were minted in a higher amount than the coins from the Denver mint. Because of this, the price is higher than the rest, even when it is in its worst condition.
As with the others, the 1934-S half dollar may attract more value because of a collector’s desire to complete a specific selection. Typically, old coins with the S mint mark are more valuable to collectors, but this is not always the case.
If unsure, check for a mint mark on the reverse side and determine whether or not it is a San Francisco 1934 half dollar. You will get even more money if the coin is in mint state or uncirculated condition.
History of the 1934 Half Dollar
The 1934 half dollar is part of a long production of half dollar coins, beginning in 1916 and ending in 1947. The coin was the brainchild of the Mint Director back in 1915, Robert W. Wolley.
He determined that the old coins had served their purpose after being in circulation for 25 years, and it was time to design new ones. So, he started the replacement process of the Barber coins by Charles Barber for the dies, half dollars, and quarters that were in circulation.
There was a competition to get the best designs, and Adolph Weinman was selected to design the new half dollar. However, Weinman’s design was too intricate and difficult to achieve. At some point, the Treasury Secretary considered asking Charles Barber, the Mint Engraver, to redesign the coin with a simpler design.
Fortunately, the mint officials finally got the design and the coin went into production. The only drawback was that the coin never struck well. The intricate design proved to be a challenge for the mint, so it never fully appeared in sharp relief.
It was not the best of the mint’s work, but it was still beautiful and loved by many. Its popularity did not stop its replacement with the Franklin half dollar in 1948, ending the Walking Liberty coin’s 31-year existence.
In 1986, a modification of the design on the coin’s obverse side was used for use in the American Silver Eagle coin, and in 2016, the original half dollar coin was distributed in gold to celebrate its hundredth year.
1934 Half Dollar Grading
The grading of the 1934 half dollar is vital in discovering its actual worth. As mentioned, there are four main conditions or grades you will typically find the half dollar, but there are other conditions within these four that change the value.
Those conditions are graded using the coin grading scale from 1 to 70. Here is a video explaining the four main conditions and how to identify them.
1934 Half Dollar Errors
There are no easily recognizable errors on the 1934 half dollar coin. Even to the trained eye, the coin is almost perfect in its striking and production. However, one or two errors may appear
1. 1934 Half Dollar Weak Strike Error
There may be a slightly weak strike in a 1934 no-mint mark half dollar. In the words IN GOD WE TRUST, the T that appears toward the rim looks a little weak because of its closeness to the rim. This may account for the weak appearance of the letter, as the die might have missed a sharp strike due to the interference of the rim.
2. 1934 Half Dollar Planchet Error
There is a chance that the coin planchet had an error that reflected on the final result of some of the no-mint mark coins. For example, you may notice a line that runs across under the date at the foot of Lady Liberty.
The line is an obvious error because it does not appear on other coins. Also, there is a smaller line in front of Liberty’s foot just above the date. It will take a careful coin examination and comparison to discover this error.
1934 Half Dollar FAQs
How much silver is in a 1934 half dollar?
A 1934 half dollar has about 90% silver, with a 0.36169 troy oz. fineness. The rest of the metal composition is copper, making up the remaining 10%. The copper accounts for the slight color you may notice on the coin.
How much is a 1934 half dollar worth with a mint mark?
The worth of a 1934 half dollar with a mint mark depends on the mark and condition. A half dollar with an S mint mark is typically worth more than one with a D mint mark. In the open market, a 1934-S half dollar in MS+ condition or uncirculated can fetch thousands of dollars. A 1934-D half dollar may not fetch the same amount, but it is also valuable.
Why would anyone sell for ,Such a low amount ? i would wreather keep em , or give as a gift .