1916 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-1996

Coin Details

Description

The final entry in the Walking Liberty half dollar pattern sequence, completing the extensive J-1991 through J-1996 series that documents the development of one of America's most celebrated coin designs. J-1996 represents the last cataloged die combination, composition, or striking variant in the sequence, reflecting the terminal stage of the design evaluation process before production commenced. The Walking Liberty half dollar entered circulation in December 1916, joining the Mercury dime and Standing Liberty quarter in transforming the appearance of American silver coinage. Together, these three designs — two by Weinman and one by MacNeil — represented the culmination of the artistic renaissance in American coinage that had begun with Theodore Roosevelt's commissioning of Augustus Saint-Gaudens to redesign the gold coinage in 1905. The 1916 Triple Redesign proved remarkably durable: the Mercury dime served until 1945, the Standing Liberty quarter until 1930, and the Walking Liberty half dollar until 1947, collectively spanning the nation's passage through two world wars, the Roaring Twenties, and the Great Depression. J-1996 marks the end of the pattern record for the most enduring of these three designs.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8 (Extremely Rare). Terminal entries in pattern sequences are often among the scarcest.

Cross References

Judd J-1996, Pollock P-2188