Coin Collecting a Guide for Beginners Header

5 Dollar Gold Coin

United States Half Eagle

The Half Eagle is a 5 dollar gold coin produced by the United States Mint from 1795 to 1929. They were authorized by the Act of April 2, 1792.

The half eagle was the first gold coin actually struck for the United States.

There are several varieties of Half Eagle 5 dollar gold coins due to changes in the number of stars on the coin as well as changes to the style of the eagle on the reverse. Overdates and differences in the size of the numbers in the dates account for still more varieties.

Information about the major designs of the Half Eagle is available below.

Turban Head $5 Half Eagle Gold Coin (1795-1807)

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Turban Head
Half Eagle
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Small Eagle Reverse 1795-1798

Heraldic Eagle Reverse 1795-1807

Turban Head Half Eagles are 5 dollar gold coins produced by the United States Mint from 1795 to 1807.

Like their Quarter Eagle Counterpart, they feature Liberty wearing a turban-like cap. They also share with the Quarter Eagle the fact that many were melted down for their gold content.

There are several rare varieties in this coin series, but the major varieties are:

Capped Bust right small eagle - 1795-1798
Capped Bust right heraldic eagle - 1795-1807

These 5 dollar gold coins are expensive due to their rarity, however it is possible to put together a date set if you have a budget that will allow it.

A collection including all major die varities, however, would be near impossible due to the extremely rare (only 7 are known to exist) 1798 plain eagle reverse.

Information about designer, weight, composition, diameter, and mints is listed in a table further down. Click here to go there now.

Capped Bust $5 Half Eagle Gold Coin (1807-1834)

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Capped Bust
Half Eagle
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Capped Bust left 1807-1812

Capped Head left large - 1813-1829 - 25 mm reduced - 1829-1834 - 23.8 mm

Although the Capped Bust Half Eagle is a relatively short series of 5 dollar gold coins, this series does contains some of the most rare and valuable U.S. gold coin types.

However, nice examples of the more common dates are available at fairly reasonable prices, considering that they are gold coins.

There are three major types of Capped Bust Half Eagles are:

Capped Bust left - 1807-1812
Capped Head left large size - 1813-1829
Capped Head left small size - 1829-1834

Information about designer, weight, composition, diameter, and mints is listed in a table further down. Click here to go there now.

Classic Head $5 Half Eagle Gold Coin (1834-1838)

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Classic Head
Half Eagle
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The Classic Head Half Eagle 5 dollar gold coin shares the same design as the Classic Head Quarter Eagle depicting Liberty with a ribbon in her curly hair.

These 5 dollar gold coins were minted in higher numbers, however, making them more affordable to collectors than their $2.50 counterpart.

It is possible for interested collectors to put together a complete set of the Classic Head Half Eagle series.

The 1938 coins from the Charlotte and Dahlonega mints are the most scarce of this series, but they are still affordable, considering that they are gold coins.

Information about designer, weight, composition, diameter, and mints is listed in a table further down. Click here to go there now.

Liberty Head $5 Half Eagle Gold Coin (1839-1908)

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Liberty Head
Half Eagle
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No Motto 1839-1866

With Motto 1866-1908

The Liberty Head Half Eagle, sometimes referred to as the $5 Coronet Head, were produced by the U.S. Mint from 1839 to 1908.

They are one of the longest running coin series and the only denomination that was produced at all seven United States branch mints.

These 5 dollar gold coins saw little change in their 69 years of production.

In 1840 Liberty's head was slightly modified and the diameter of the coin was decreased to 21.6 mm.

Then in 1866 the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to the reverse.

The Liberty Head Half Eagle was widely used by the American public at a time when $5 was often the amount of a weeks wages.

There are two basic types of Liberty Head Half Eagle:

Variety 1 - No Motto Above Eagle (1839-1866)
Variety 2 - Motto Above Eagle (1866-1908)

These coins are extremely rare in the better conditions.

Information about designer, weight, composition, diameter, and mints is listed in a table further down. Click here to go there now.

Indian Head $5 Half Eagle Gold Coin (1908-1929)

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Indian Head
Half Eagle
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The Indian Head Half Eagle, like the Indian Head Quarter Eagle, has an incuse design. These are the only two U.S. Coins with an incuse design.

The term incuse, for a coin design, means that instead of the design of the coin being raised above the surface as with other coins, it is actually stamped into the metal of the coin.

Indian Head 5 dollar gold coins are all reasonably priced for gold coins, with the exception of the 1929 which is scarce.

You could probably find one without a whole lot of trouble, but expect to pay several thousand dollars for it.

Information about designer, weight, composition, diameter, and mints is listed in a table further down. Click here to go there now.

Half Eagle ($5)
Years Minted	Turban Head - 1795-1807 Capped Bust - 1807-1834 Classic Head - 1834-1838 Liberty-head - 1839-1908 Indian-head - 1908-1929
Designer	Turban Head - Robert Scot Capped Bust - John Reich Classic Head - William Kneass Liberty-head - Christian Gobrecht Indian-head - Bela Lyon Pratt
Weight	Turban Head - 8.75 grams Capped Bust - 8.75 grams Classic Head - 8.36 grams Liberty-head - 8.359 grams Indian-head - 8.359 grams
Composition	Turban Head - .9167 gold, .0833 silver and copper Capped Bust - .9167 gold, .0833 silver and copper Classic Head - *1834-1836* - .8992 gold, .1008 silver and copper *1837-1838* - .900 gold, .100 copper Liberty-head - .900 gold, .100 copper (net weight: .24187 oz. pure gold) Indian-head - .900 gold, .100 copper (net weight: .24187 oz. pure gold)
Diameter	Turban Head - 25 mm Capped Bust - 25 mm *1829-1834* - 23.8 mm Classic Head - 22.5 mm Liberty-head - *1839-1840* - 22.5 mm *1840-1908* - 21.6 mm Indian-head - 21.6 mm
Edge	All - reeded
Mints	Turban Head - Philadelphia Capped Bust - Philadelphia Classic Head - Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dahlonega Liberty-head - Variety 1 - Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dahlonega, New Orleans, San Francisco Variety 2 - Philadelphia, Carson City, Denver, New Orleans, San Francisco Indian-head - Philadelphia, Denver, New Orleans, San Francisco

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