Honoring a Classic Design

The 1916 Walking Liberty half dollar will return as the third release in the U.S. Mint’s 2026 Best of the Mint numismatic coin and medal series. Adolph Weinman’s iconic design features Lady Liberty draped in an American flag, walking toward a rising sun. On the reverse, a fierce eagle stands on a rocky crag with a pine branch clutched in its talons. 

The 2026 reissue is crafted in a half ounce of .999-fine gold and is accompanied by a companion silver medal, which reimagines the half dollar in an art deco style. The medal depicts a single scene across the obverse and reverse, with Lady Liberty beside the sun on the obverse, and an eagle soaring through the sky on the reverse.

Best of the Mint Series

As the United States’ semiquincentennial nears, the U.S. Mint is releasing the top five historic coins selected by a public vote, reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, and approved by the Secretary of the Treasury. 

These sets include 24-karat .999-fine gold coins reissued as faithful representations of the historic designs with the original dates of issue to acknowledge each coin’s place in history. The coins also bear a special semiquincentennial Liberty Bell privy mark with the numeral “250.” Each coin has a 1-ounce silver companion medal, featuring new and modern designs.

The mint will reveal a new design in the 2026 Best of the Mint series each month. Last month’s motif was the 1916 Standing Liberty quarter.

To learn more, visit the U.S. Mint’s website.