1942

Production of 47,839,120 pieces at Philadelphia in 1942 established a record-high P-mint output for the Walking Liberty series, a figure that reflected the Treasury's response to wartime cash velocity and the disappearance of half dollars from active circulation into household hoards. Adolph A. Weinman's design, then in its twenty-sixth year of production, was struck on planchets composed of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper, weighing 12.50 grams with a 30.61 mm diameter and reeded edge. The mintmark position on the reverse, located at the lower left of the rock supporting the eagle, remained unchanged from the original 1916 configuration.

Strike characteristics on the 1942 Philadelphia issue improved measurably over the 1916-1921 era thanks to refined die preparation procedures introduced in the late 1930s. Full Skirt detail on Liberty's gown and Full Thumb articulation on her extended left hand appear with greater frequency on this date than on most earlier Walkers, though softness on the eagle's breast feathers and the leftmost talon still persists on a meaningful percentage of business strikes. Authentication considerations focus on weight verification within the 12.50 gram standard and inspection of the mintmark area for any altered or removed Denver or San Francisco indicator, since the bare Philadelphia configuration commands a notable premium only at the very top certified grades. Die marker variation across the Philadelphia 1942 working dies is documented, with consistent obverse field characteristics helping confirm authenticity on any high-grade purchase where premium pricing applies.

Mint State examples remain abundant through MS65 at both PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC, the Numismatic Guaranty Company, with original-skin gem pieces displaying frosty cartwheel luster and minimal contact in the open obverse fields. For broader background on production patterns, die preparation, and design history across the entire run, see the Walking Liberty Half Dollar series history.