Among the most common Walking Liberty Half Dollars are those hailing from 1941, a time in American history when the nation was coming out of the Great Depression and gearing up to enter World War II. It also marked a shift in numismatic trends, with countless new collectors diving into the hobby and plucking contemporary coins from circulation thanks to the advent of coin boards and coin folders encouraging such collecting trends. Improving economic conditions prompted the striking of far greater numbers of coins than was seen during the malaise of the Great Depression; meanwhile, the increasing presence of coin collectors helped to ensure that more of the coins being struck were being preserved in desirable condition for the long term.
The United States Mint struck a total of 43,553,812 Walking Liberty Half Dollars in 1941; the breakdown includes 24,192,000 business strikes and 15,412 proofs at the Philadelphia Mint, 11,248,400 business strikes at the Denver Mint, and 8,098,000 business strikes at the San Francisco Mint. While this doesn’t constitute the largest mintage of the entire series, it does represent a roaring surge of production the likes of which had never been seen before for the U.S. half dollar.
Because 1941 is often viewed as a turning point in the U.S. Mint’s overall production output, it’s frequently a starting point for a variety of short sets. This is certainly the case for a popular short set of Walking Liberty Half Dollars that encompasses business strikes from 1941 through the end of the series in 1947. Another interesting short set that incorporates a Walking Liberty Half Dollar from 1941 is the 1936-1942 proof short set. Of course, the 1941 Walking Liberty Half Dollar also makes a great type representative of the series – and perhaps one of the most affordable such pieces at that. The 1941 Walking Liberty Half Dollar is widely available in grades ranging from G4 through MS65, with only the nicest examples in grades of MS66 or higher proving more challenging.