1943-D

Denver produced 11,346,000 Walking Liberty Half Dollars in 1943, a modest increase over the prior year's branch-mint output and consistent with the facility's typical share of wartime half-dollar coinage. The 90 percent silver composition, 12.50 gram weight, and 30.61 mm diameter held to the established standard, with the D mintmark applied to the reverse working die at the lower left of the rock beneath the eagle. Weinman's allegorical design, in its twenty-seventh year, continued unchanged from the original master hub, though die preparation refinements introduced in the late 1930s contributed to consistently sharper definition on better strikes.

Strike quality on the 1943-D ranks favorably within the broader 1942-1945 wartime Walker production stretch. Full Skirt detail and Full Thumb articulation appear on a meaningful percentage of business strikes, and the eagle's breast feathers generally show acceptable definition, though the deep-detail softness common to the series persists on weaker examples. Authentication for this issue should focus on confirming the D mintmark style and position against published reference photos, since 1940s Walker mintmarks were hand-punched and show minor positional variation; weight verification within the 12.50 gram tolerance provides a baseline check against plated counterfeits. Die marker references published by both major grading services document the specific D punch position and reverse rock detail that distinguishes genuine 1943-D strikes from altered Philadelphia hosts. Strike-quality variation within the year produced a range of business strikes from sharp to muted, and selective buyers wait for examples that pair full design detail with original luster.

Mint State examples certified by PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC, the Numismatic Guaranty Company, remain readily available through MS65 with reasonable populations at MS66, supported by extensive Treasury-bag preservation. Original-roll material from postwar Treasury releases supports the broad availability of gem-grade examples for this date, with intact satin luster trading at meaningful premiums over dipped or processed pieces. For more on Denver branch-mint output and the wartime production environment, see the Walking Liberty Half Dollar series history.