The Albany Times Union 7/16 issue had a full page ad hawking Walking Liberty half Dollars for $39 each. Supposedly a special release deal for New Yorkers only! As a Coin dealer for 40 years, I can advise that ads like this are always rip-offs. Always.

This one is full of breathless verbiage about the coins’ claimed rarity. In fact they are exceedingly common, the vast majority worth no more than the silver melt value, around $9.

But the ad gushes that SOME are worth UP TO 100 Times Face value. Those words “up to” are always slippery. Actually certain Walker halves are worth thousands. For sure you won’t get any such rare ones. Meanwhile, “100 times face value” for half dollars equals $50. You’re already paying $39. These hucksters think their suckers can’t do math.

Also, it says the $39 price is “just $585 for the full Bank Rolls.” Thus 15 coins per roll. In fact a standard bank roll of halves is 20.

Even the ad’s enlarged photo is a fake. It shows a 1919 half with a “D” mintmark on the front. No such coins exist.