Counterfeit Detection: Altered Date Walking Liberty Half Dollar

Walking Liberty Half Dollars were issued from 1916 to 1947. When NGC received a recent submission of a Walking Liberty Half Dollar apparently dated 1913, it piqued our interest. In fact, one of the greatest rarities in US numismatics shares that particular date: the 1913 Proof Liberty Nickel, a coin that was not supposed to exist. Today, five examples of that coin are known, and they sell for multi-million-dollar sums whenever they are offered at auction.

Altered Date Walking Liberty Half Dollar Click images to enlarge.

How could a Walking Liberty Half Dollar exist with a date three years before the coin started being issued? Was it produced as part of the design process? No, it wasn’t until 1915 that the Mint Director asked leading sculptors for designs for a new half dollar. Perhaps a die was mistakenly created with the wrong date, and this is the sole example struck by it to have survived? The idea of such a coin excites the imagination of any numismatist.

Unfortunately for the submitter of this half dollar, it won’t be rewriting the history books. Numerous problems with the date on the bottom of the obverse identify the coin as one that has been altered, most likely from a 1943 issue. For starters, around the last two digits of the date, there are numerous tool marks, which are often left behind as a counterfeiter tries to hide telltale problems with a spurious coin.

Close-up of dates on the altered-date Walking Liberty Half Dollar and genuine examples from 1916 and 1943. Click images to enlarge.

The date itself is not consistent with a US Mint product of this time. Just look at the wide gap between the ‘19’ and the ‘13.’ As you can see from the 1916 example, the second ‘1’ is evenly centered between the ‘9’ and the ‘6.’ If a counterfeiter were to obliterate much of the ‘4’ in a 1943 example, it would leave that wide gap. (The 1943 Half Dollar is an excellent candidate to modify, because Mint State examples are available for well under $100 — and the coin submitted to NGC isn’t even close to Mint State.)

The different shape of the ‘1’ digits on the altered coin is another red flag. In addition, the date area of the coin appears to have been cleaned, which was likely done to hide evidence of the alteration.

NGC’s expert team can carefully research and attribute coins that are extremely rare or even unique. Keep in mind that regardless of a coin’s level of rarity, NGC backs its determinations of authenticity and grade with the NGC Guarantee.

Did you know? NGC has created a comprehensive Counterfeit Detection resource to help collectors and dealers identify counterfeit and altered coins. Visit NGCcoin.com/counterfeit.