Rare 1916 Half Dollar Errors (List & Pictures)
The most useful place to begin a search for 1916 half dollar errors is the tiny Denver mintmark on the front. Its lower edge can reveal a second partial D.
Certified MS65 examples have an estimated $1,600–$5,300 range, including a documented $5,246 sale in July 2026. Use the location checks below to identify the variety before comparing your coin’s preservation with that unworn grade.
1916 Half Dollar An Extra D Below the Mintmark: Repunched Mintmark Error
The place to examine is the front of the coin, below IN GOD WE TRUST. The D identifies Denver, and a second partial D can show underneath it.
The extra D was already present in the die, the steel stamping tool, before this coin reached the press. It came from two slightly displaced applications of the mintmark punch, whose surviving outlines were copied onto the silver.
Catalogs call this variety FS-501. FS-008 and VP-001 are earlier names for the same feature, rather than additional errors to search for.
How to Identify
Keep the date and motto in view while locating the D. On a 1916 Walking Liberty half, searching the usual later-series position on the back will send you to the wrong side.
With a 10× magnifier, examine the bottom of the letter for a recognizable piece of another D. A letter that merely looks thick does not establish the variety.
Turn the coin slightly under a lamp so the outline remains visible as the shadow moves. Compare its shape and position with a documented FS-501 photograph, including the normal letter above it.
A flat shelf beside the D can resemble doubling, while corrosion may leave irregular lumps. Also check for disturbed metal around the letter, which can suggest a mintmark added after the coin was made.
If the coin is loose, its basic measurements offer a separate check: about 12.50 grams when unworn and 30.6 mm across. Its edge has narrow grooves, called reeding; normal measurements alone cannot confirm the extra D.
What It’s Worth
Estimated range: $1,600–$5,300 for certified MS65 examples. MS65 describes a well-preserved coin without circulation wear, although small marks and the quality of its original shine can vary.
A PCGS MS65 FS-501 sold at Heritage for $1,620 in March 2019. PCGS records another Heritage MS65 result of $5,246 in July 2026.
That spread shows why a grade label cannot settle the price by itself. The sales include the value of a first-year Denver Walking Liberty half as well as collector interest in the repunched letter.
A worn example needs comparisons in its own condition. Neither of these unworn-coin results establishes a minimum price for every 1916-D with the same mark.
Conclusion
The useful clue is a partial D below the main D on the front. Match that lower shape to FS-501 instead of relying on general thickness or on the variety’s older catalog names.
The $1,600–$5,300 estimate applies to certified MS65 coins. Once the variety is identified, compare surface marks, original shine, and wear to choose a relevant price reference.
