Finding the GTG 1941 Walker-PCGS MS-67+: A Roll Hunter’s Cherry-Picker’s Guide

You don’t always need a dealer to find this. Here is what to look for when searching through circulation or bulk lots.

The Roll Hunter’s First Rule: Buy the Bag, Not the Coin

As a roll hunter, I live for that fantasy — the common date hiding in plain sight, waiting to surprise you. The original forum thread was titled “GTG 1941 Walker-PCGS MS-67+.” That title alone sent a ripple through the collecting community, because it captured something beautiful about the hobby: a coin most people would overlook, sitting in a pile, a roll, or a bulk lot, suddenly revealing itself as a genuine trophy.

The thread opened with congratulations to those who guessed 67+, and it quickly became a masterclass in how collectors argue, admire, and eventually come together over a single silver half dollar. @MFeld was the first to push the grade, and his confidence helped set the tone. “It’s official Mark, you can grade from photos ;)” someone wrote. Then came the important nuance: “Those that graded 67 or 68 I’m giving you some solid credit for being within .5 point!”

Even a common coin like the 1941 Walker gets me excited when they look fantastic, and with dripping luster. The photo was by @FlyingAl, and it was a really nice image on this one. That is the roll hunter’s dream: not just a beautiful coin, but a beautiful coin that was found in the wild, probably in a circulation or bulk lot, and then carefully cherry-picked from a larger assortment.

What the Forum Thread Reveals About a PCGS MS-67+ Walking Liberty Half Dollar

The Plus Is More Than a Number

PCGS plus grading is a serious matter. The plus (“+”) is assigned by PCGS only to coins that exhibit exceptional eye appeal compared to typical examples at the same numerical level, representing the upper end of the MS67 tier. It is not a casual sticker. For business strikes, plus-grading eligibility spans from XF-45 through MS-68, though plus grades are not given to MS-69 or MS-70.

So when the forum thread debated whether the 1941 Walker should be MS67+ or MS68, the conversation was never just about a number. It was about luster, strike, surface quality, and whether the coin had that special something that separates a nice specimen from a slab-worthy masterpiece.

Strike, Luster, Surface, and Eye Appeal

The key characteristics of a PCGS MS-68 help frame the discussion. The strike should be attractive, sharp, and well-defined. The luster should be full, original mint luster appropriate for the date and mint facility. The surface quality should show no hairlines or scuff marks under average inspection. Imperfections should be limited to a maximum of four light, scattered contact marks or minor flaws. Eye appeal should be exceptional, placing the coin near the very top tier of the 1–70 Sheldon numerical grading scale, just below MS-69 and MS-70.

For the base MS67, the strike should be above average to very well struck with strong details. The luster should be full, vibrant, and original. Marks and imperfections should be free of major flaws, with only a few tiny minor contact marks or a single hidden mark near an important design area possible. The plus modifier then suggests the upper end of that tier.

Those that graded 67 or 68 I’m giving you some solid credit for being within .5 point! Even a common coin like the 1941 still gets me excited when they look fantastic, and with dripping luster.

One of the most fascinating parts of the thread was the disagreement over luster. @MFeld asked: “In your opinion, what keeps this out of a 68 holder? Is it the luster? I know there is a strong preference by the services for brilliant blazing luster over satiny luster, but this coin looks dripping with luster.”

@Eldorado9 replied with enthusiasm: “Even a common coin like the 1941 still gets me excited when they look fantastic, and with dripping luster. Photo is by @FlyingAl and he did a really nice image on this one. It may be a common date, but it has the perfect trifecta of clean surfaces, luster, and sharp strike. That makes it not so common. Quality coins are always a treat.”

How I Cherry Pick a 1941 Walker for MS-67+ Potential

When I’m hunting for a coin like this in a roll or bulk lot, I do not start by looking for the date. I start by looking for silver, age, and the right kind of packaging. Old silver bags, bank rolls, old coin tubes, Whitman folders, and estate-sale trays are my usual suspects. The goal is to find a coin that has the potential to be a cherry-pick, not just a generic issue.

For the 1941 Walking Liberty half dollar, I would look for a coin with a strong strike, full steps, original luster, and surfaces that are clean enough that I do not see obvious bags or cleaning. The forum discussion mentioned “above average strike with full thumb” and “clean surfaces, essentially no ticks.” Those are the details I watch for when I’m sorting through a bulk lot.

• Circulation finds: Look for half dollars that were actually spent, not just raw bank stock. Great examples often hide in old cash boxes or mixed bags.
• Bulk lots: These are goldmines for roll hunters because you can sort by date and grade without paying dealer premiums immediately.
• Estate sales: Coins often come in old albums, Whitman folders, or plastic flips. The 1941 Walker can be found in surprising places.
• Cherry picking varieties: For Walking Liberty halves, the dream is a full-step strike with original luster and minimal marks.

What to Open Before You Commit

1. Buy or trade for a bulk lot containing 1930s and 1940s silver half dollars.
2. Sort by date and denomination first.
3. Look for old bank wraps, silver certificates, or raw coins.
4. Inspect for strike, luster, and surface cleanliness.
5. Use photos or send to a grader only when the eye appeal is strong enough to justify it.

The Great GTG 1941 Walker Debate: MS-66, MS-67, and MS-68

The forum thread included many guesses: MS-66, MS-67, MS-68, 67+, and even a bold change from MS-67+ to MS-68. One commenter said, “I’d have said at least 67!” Another said, “It’s a superb gem!” Someone else wrote, “I love that hint of rim toning. <3"

The little ticks on the branch stem hand were mentioned as the only thing keeping it from MS68. That is the kind of detail that matters when you are cherry picking. A coin can have beautiful luster and eye appeal, but if there is a subtle imperfection in a key area, the discussion can shift.

One person admitted, “I struggled with using a + but the golden toning on the obverse enchants me so why not a + for that, I reasoned.” Another responded, “I do not think this coin was color bumped. Even as blast white, it would still deserve the grade.”

Roll Hunter’s View of the Plus Modifier

As a roll hunter, I am skeptical of plus designations until I see the coin. But when a coin like the 1941 Walker comes along with clean surfaces, above average strike, and dripping luster, the plus conversation becomes unavoidable.

@MFeld said, “67+ In your opinion, what keeps this out of a 68 holder? Is it the luster? I know there is a strong preference by the services for brilliant blazing luster over satiny luster, but this coin looks dripping with luster.”

@cameonut2011 said, “For those who are grading it MS66 or lower, would any of you care to share your reasoning? The coin has very clean surfaces (I see essentially no ticks), above average strike with full thumb, and the coin appears lustrous and has eye appeal.”

@MFeld replied, “I have trouble saying anything above 66. Remember my prior post, Her neck could be better just not as smooth, I guess, as I would need to go a higher grade. The reverse at the AME of America has something going on that may or may not be post strike marks, not sure. I tend to be a bit harsher than current standards more so the higher the grade gets. But then I believe nothing, know little, and think a lot, just what I think.”

Historical Context: The Walking Liberty Half Dollar in the 1940s

The 1941 Walking Liberty half dollar is a common date in many collections, but common does not mean worthless. It is a silver coin with a beautiful design by Victor David Brenner, and it carries historical weight from the Great Depression era into the early years of World War II. The metal composition was 90% silver and 10% copper, and the half dollar was a popular way for people to save and transact.

For collectors, the 1941 Walker is often a type coin, but high-grade survivors are always desirable. A PCGS MS-67+ is not just a high grade; it is a remarkable eye appeal story. The forum thread showed that even experienced graders could look at the same coin and come to different conclusions. Some saw MS68 potential, some saw MS67+, and some hesitated at MS66 or lower.

The old-timers’ perspective added something powerful. @Moxie15 recalled an old fellow in his late seventies who collected Walking Halves from the 1940s. He cashed his paycheck each week in half dollars and would search through them. He had a minimum requirement of having a distinct split between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. He had over two hundred 20-coin short sets, and it was absolutely overpowering to see. “This coin would not have made it into his top twenty sets,” Moxie said.

Modern grading standards care less about strike than some old-timers did, and Moxie acknowledged that. “I have seen PCGS MS65s that would not have made into the worst of his sets,” he said. The old man’s

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