The Only US Coin Struck at All Seven Traditional Mints
The $5 Liberty Half Eagle is the one United States coin design struck at all seven of the traditional US mints: Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dahlonega, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carson City and Denver. This one comes in About Uncirculated condition, and it holds 0.2419 troy ounces of gold.
Gobrecht’s Coronet, 1839 to 1908
Christian Gobrecht’s Coronet design came to the half eagle in 1839 and stayed until 1908, when the Indian Head replaced it. Liberty faces left, wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, with her hair tied in a bun secured by a string of beads. Stars circle the border and the date sits below.
The reverse shows an eagle with a shield on its breast, holding an olive branch and arrows, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and FIVE D. around it. In 1866 the Mint added IN GOD WE TRUST on a ribbon above the eagle. Collectors split the series at that point into No Motto and With Motto, and the motto dates the coin to one side of 1866 or the other.
What About Uncirculated Looks Like
About Uncirculated sits just below Mint State on the grading scale. An AU coin shows slight wear on the high points of the design, with full detail elsewhere. Light contact marks from its time in commerce are normal at this grade.
AU is our description of the coin’s condition. It is not a number from a grading service, and the coin ships uncertified. The date and mint mark are our pick from available stock, so the photos show one example and your coin will differ.
This is a collectible. Its value comes from its gold, its condition and its history rather than its metal weight alone.
Why the Half Eagle Is Where Many Collectors Start
According to PCGS CoinFacts, a type collector can find one of the more plentiful dates in any grade from Very Fine through the lower ranges of Uncirculated, especially With Motto coins from after 1880. That makes the Liberty half eagle an accessible pre-1933 type. You get the same Gobrecht design and the same mint history as the scarcer dates, in a coin a buyer can realistically own.
$5 Liberty Half Eagle Specifications
Each coin weighs 8.359 grams and is 90% gold and 10% copper, which leaves 0.2419 troy ounces of pure gold. Coins from 1840 on measure 21.6 mm across with a reeded edge. Dates and mint marks vary, and the denomination is $5. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.
$5 Liberty Half Eagle FAQ
What does AU mean on this coin?
AU stands for About Uncirculated. The coin shows only slight wear on its highest points and keeps full design detail across the rest of the coin.
Can I choose the date or mint mark?
No. Dates and mint marks are pulled from available stock, and the date is our pick. The listing photos show a single example of the type.
What is the difference between No Motto and With Motto?
No Motto coins were struck from 1839 to 1866 and have no IN GOD WE TRUST ribbon above the eagle. With Motto coins were struck from 1866 to 1908 and carry it. Apart from the motto ribbon, the design is the same.
Why is it called a half eagle?
The eagle was the $10 gold coin, and this $5 coin is half of it. The half eagle was authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792 and was the first US gold coin ever minted.
How much gold is in a $5 Liberty Half Eagle?
Each coin holds 0.2419 troy ounces of pure gold, in a 90% gold alloy that weighs 8.359 grams in total. That is just under a quarter ounce of gold.
Comparing the gold denominations? Browse our full selection.
Ready to add a piece of nineteenth-century gold to your collection? Add the $5 Liberty Half Eagle Gold Coin (AU) to your cart.
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