1929-D

Denver returned to Walker production in 1929 after a six-year absence, having struck none of the design since 1923, and the 1,001,200 coins produced that year make the 1929-D a clear semi-key. The date sits at the boundary between scarce and rare, with a survivor population large enough to keep it accessible but small enough that high-grade examples carry meaningful price tags. Denver coins from the period are appreciated for generally better strike quality than their San Francisco counterparts, which makes the 1929-D one of the more attractive options for a collector seeking a sharp Walker from the late 1920s without entering 1921 key-date pricing.

Strike on the 1929-D is typically among the better in the era, with Liberty's hand and skirt lines often showing reasonable definition and the eagle's breast feathers more complete than on contemporaneous San Francisco pieces. Luster tends to be brighter and more cartwheel than the satin finish common on West Coast issues. Authentication should focus on the D mintmark, which sits at the lower-left reverse near the rock and tail feathers. The punch style is the small serifed D used at Denver in the late 1920s, and any deviation in size, angle, or position warrants suspicion. The most common counterfeit attempt is an added D on a Philadelphia 1929 host coin, detectable by tooling marks, a raised ring around the mintmark, or a mintmark that sits on top of the field rather than rising from it integrally. Weight at 12.50 grams and diameter at 30.61 mm should be verified, and Cherrypickers' Guide lists die markers on the obverse that help confirm originality. Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) photo references document genuine die states.

Auction performance on the 1929-D has been steady, with Heritage Auctions bringing MS65 examples into the four to seven thousand dollar range and MS66 coins climbing into the low teens when strike and luster cooperate. Circulated grades are very accessible, with VF and XF pieces trading at modest premiums over silver content. Registry collectors prize the date for its combination of relative scarcity and strong eye appeal. Continue with the Walking Liberty Half Dollar series history.