The 1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollar marks the beginning of one of the most celebrated coin designs in American history. Sculpted by Adolph A. Weinman, the obverse presents Lady Liberty striding confidently toward the dawn, draped in the American flag and holding branches of laurel and oak. The reverse shows a powerful eagle perched on a rocky crag, wings partially spread, symbolizing vigilance and strength. Struck at three mints during its inaugural year, the 1916 issue is prized for its bold relief and historical significance as the debut of a series that would endure for three decades.

This monochrome master study was composed from several high‑grade examples, anchored by the PCGS MS66 specimen (Cert. No. 40650722). Executed in color‑fast, fine art oil and wax based colored pencils on archival stock, the drawing emphasizes the sculptural depth of Weinman’s design. Liberty’s flowing garments and the eagle’s textured feathers are brought to life through tonal layering, while the absence of color directs attention to form, shadow, and composition. Every line was placed with reverence, aiming to preserve the quiet strength of Liberty’s stride and the eagle’s watchful posture. It is a study in restraint, where interpretation replaces replication and draftsmanship becomes a lens for scholarship.

In preparing the work, more than one coin was consulted. The reference specimen provided clarity on strike quality and field separation, while other examples informed posture, proportion, and surface nuance. This composite approach distills the design into its most balanced form, presenting Weinman’s artistry as it was intended rather than as time and wear have altered it. The result is a unified visual meditation on Liberty’s stride and the eagle’s poise, a rendering that transcends the limitations of any single coin.

The 1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollar is revered not only for its artistry but also for its place in the renaissance of American coinage. Weinman’s design broke from classical restraint and embraced motion, symbolism, and national optimism. The San Francisco and Philadelphia issues are especially admired for their bold relief and satiny surfaces, qualities that lend themselves to artistic reinterpretation. This study amplifies those traits, transforming a Mint product into a collector’s keepsake and a visual anchor for the series.

Auction records for MS66 examples confirm steady demand, with prices reflecting both condition rarity and design reverence. Collectors value the 1916 issue for its purity of form and historical weight, and this drawing captures that reverence in monochrome. It invites the viewer to see the coin not merely as currency, but as sculpture — an object of national pride rendered in silver and preserved in pencil.

Now held in an anonymous collection, this 1916 Walking Liberty Half Dollar study stands as both a personal artifact and a visual homage. It bridges the gap between numismatic documentation and artistic expression, honoring Weinman’s vision with clarity, restraint, and reverence. For collectors and historians alike, it is not simply a drawing — it is a study in motion, symbolism, and legacy.