1953-D Washington-Carver Half dollar MS Values

Greysheet & Red Book® Price Guide

Sponsor

shop eBay

Sponsor

shop Great Collections

Sponsor

shop David Lawrence Rare Coins

Sponsor

shop Stacks Bowers Auctions

Sponsor

shop

1953-D Washington-Carver Half dollar MS Values

Details

The 1953 Washington-Carver commemorative half dollars honor the memories of two prominent African American leaders of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with Booker T. Washington -- pioneering author and presidential advisor and Carver -- renowned scientist and inventor. Both are pictured in -- jugate portrait by Isaac Scott Hathaway, the first African American to design -- U.S. coin with his Booker T. Washington type debuting in 1946.

While Washington-Carver halves are quite common in uncirculated condition, they are remarkably difficult in grades of MS66 or higher. This is due largely to the flat, broad reverse depicting -- map of the United States. Many examples are quite nice, with fantastic luster and excellent overall eye appeal.

Obverse: Features overlapping portraits of George W. Carver and Booker T. Washington with the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN GOD WE TRUST, and E PLURIBUS UNUM on the outer periphery. The inner periphery bears the names of those honored along with the words HALF DOLLAR. The date is presented to the left of the portraits at 9 o'clock.

Reverse: Depicts a map of the United States with the letters U.S.A. overprinted. The periphery bears the words FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL * AMERICANISM.

Basic Information

GSID:

10399

Coin Date:

1953-D

Denomination:

50c / Half dollar

Designation:

MS

Mint & Coinage Details

Mint Location:

Denver

Mintage:

8,003

Coinage Type:

Classic Commemorative

Coinage Years:

1951-1954

Composition:

90% silver; 10% copper

Mint Mark:

D

Varieties and Classification

Variety:

Washington-Carver

Physical Characteristics

Fineness:

0.9

Weight:

12.5 gr

Weight:

0.475 oz

Precious Metal Weight:

0.3617 oz

Strike Type:

Business

Diameter:

30.6 mm

Coin Shape:

Round

Design Details

Designer:

Isaac Scott Hathaway

Obverse Designer:

Isaac Scott Hathaway

Reverse Designer:

Isaac Scott Hathaway

Available on Greysheet Marketplace

View All

Dealer Directory

View All Dealers

Greysheet News

View All News
Over $10 Million in Rare U.S. Gold Coins in James A. Stack, Sr. Collection, Part II
Over $10 Million in Rare U.S. Gold Coins in James A. Stack, Sr. Collection, Part II
2/3/2026

The auction will be held on Tuesday, February 3 in Griffin Studios in Stack's Bowers Galleries international headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA.

Stack's Bowers Galleries Launches Premier E-Commerce Marketplace and New Collection Management Tool for Coin and Banknote Collectors
Stack's Bowers Galleries Launches Premier E-Commerce Marketplace and New Collection Management Tool for Coin and Banknote Collectors
2/3/2026

The Marketplace and Collection Management tools combine expert-verified purchasing with modern collection organization and tracking.

No Dollars? Capped Bust Half Dollars in the China Trade
No Dollars? Capped Bust Half Dollars in the China Trade
1/28/2026

According to Representative Campbell P. White, in his congressional report of 1832, the exportation of half dollars carried on steadily after 1804 and was extensive from 1811–1821.