Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries can help you enhance your collection with an exceptional half eagle gold coin. You’ll benefit from our years of experience, our vast numismatic knowledge and our discerning eye for quality and value — so you can make informed purchasing decisions. View our half eagle inventory now.
The History of Half Eagle Gold Coins
The $5 gold piece, also known as the half eagle, was the first gold coin authorized by the United States in 1792. Three years later, the first examples were struck at the Philadelphia Mint. These early coins featured a rather thin, anemic-looking eagle on the reverse. This design proved unpopular and was replaced by a larger, more powerful-looking eagle.
Over the next 130 years or so, half eagles featured many different designs. The Liberty Head (or Coronet) half eagle is the only “classic” gold coin to have been struck by all seven U.S. Mints (Philadelphia, Dahlonega, Charlotte, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carson City and Denver). Those minted at Dahlonega, Charlotte and Carson City were mostly issued in limited quantities, making them extremely popular and heavily sought after.
The rarity of many half eagles makes collecting this denomination quite challenging. In fact, most examples of half eagle gold coins dated before 1834 are quite rare. The greatest rarities — or, more accurately, the coins that will prevent a collector from completing a series — include:
- 1798 — With the“small eagle” reverse design
- 1815
- 1822 — Only three known, two ofdol which reside in the Smithsonian Collection!
- 1854-S — Only three known
- 1875
The only series that’s relatively easy to complete is a set of Indian Head half eagles, since the design was minted from 1908 to 1929. Still, when seeking higher-grade specimens (MS-64, MS-65 and higher), several dates are rather elusive.
View our Reserve Selections of Gold Half Eagles for sale