$5 Half Eagle Gold Coin

The $5 Half Eagle Gold Coin or just the Half Eagle was a gold coin issued for circulation in the United States by the US Mint. The Half Eagle was first minted together with the Eagle ($10 gold coin) in 1795 and these two coins were the first US gold coins. The $5 Half Eagle gold coin was minted from 1795 to 1929 and was part of the gold coinage program started by the US Mint with the Eagle as the base unit, having denomination of 10 dollars and other gold coins to be in alignment with the Eagle.

$5 Half Eagle
Turban Head Obverse



$5 Half Eagle
Turban Head Reverse



$5 Half Eagle
Draped Bust Obverse



$5 Half Eagle
Draped Bust Reverse

As with the Quarter Eagle, there were six major designs of the $5 Half Eagle gold coin, several different types, and a whole number of varieties. During the whole mintage time of the Half Eagle, specifications of the coin were aligned with the $10 Eagle gold coin and were changing accordingly. You can read more about different designs of the $5 Half Eagle gold coin below and after current listings (scroll down).

Liberty Cap (Turban Head) (1795 – 1807)
The Turban Head type was designed by Robert Scot, the Chief Engraver of the US Mint at that time, and was similar to designs of the Eagle and Quarter Eagle gold coins. The $5 Half Eagle gold coin had composition of 0.9166 or 22 Karat and gold content of 0.258 oz. The coin was 25 mm diameter and weighed 8.75 g. There're two major varieties of the Turban Head Half Eagle: the Small Eagle, minted from 1795 to 1798 and the Large Eagle, with the different design heraldic Eagle minted from 1795 to 1807.

Draped Bust (1807 – 1812)
The Draped Bust was designed by John Reich after the order of Mint Director Patterson in 1807 to redesign all denominations. John Reich was just recently assigned to substitute aging Robert Scot. The Draped Bust Half Eagles were minted for 5 years unlike Draped Bust Quarter Eagles that were minted only for a year in 1808. Specifications of the coin had not changed at that time. There're some varieties of the Draped Bust Half Eagle distinguished by the size of the numerals in the date and denomination.

Capped Head (1813 – 1834)
The Capped Head was a modified design of the Draped Bust that Robert Scot, still the Chief Engraver and of the age 77 at the time, used for a new coin type. The standards for US gold coins were revised at that time and gold contents as well as the size of the coins were reduced. There're varieties of the coin distinguished by the shape of the numerals and the size of the letters.

You can find more about other types of the $5 Half Eagle gold coin after current listings (scroll down).

You can see current listings for $5 Half Eagle gold coins here:

Types of the $5 Half Eagle Gold Coin (continue)

$5 Half Eagle
Capped Head Obverse



$5 Half Eagle
Capped Head Reverse

Classic Head (1834 – 1838)
The Classic Head was an adaptation of the John Reich's old design by William Kneass. The whole system of the US gold coins were revised again and a new design was in a need. As a result, the new $5 Half Eagle gold coin had its gold composition reduced to 0.8990 with gold content of 0.2418. The diameter was now 22.5 mm and the weight went down to 8.36 g.

Liberty Head (Coronet Head) (1839 – 1907)
The Coronet Head was the final design when specifications of the US gold coins were adjusted and set for good. This type of the $5 Half Eagle gold coin was designed by Christian Golbrecht. The new Half Eagle had its gold qualities improved, having gold composition set to 0.900 and gold contents to 0.242 oz. The diameter of the coin was reduced again, now to 21.6, but the weight stayed almost the same (8.359 g), making the coin smaller but thicker. There are two major varieties of the Coronet Head: one with no motto over the eagle, minted from 1839 to 1866, and another with the motto, minted from 1866 to 1908.

Indian Head (1908 – 1916, 1929)
The Indian Head design was made by Bostonian sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt and was the same as for the Quarter Eagle gold coins. The new design was quite unusual and unique as it was incuse, meaning that details of the coin were sunken and not raised like for the other US gold coins. The specifications of the coin had not changed at this time and the $5 Half Eagle gold coin was minted until 1916 with a break during the World War I, and then resumed again in 1929, but only for one year.

You can see more pictures of the $2.5 Quarter Eagle gold coin below:

$5 Half Eagle Classic Head Obverse $5 Half Eagle Coronet Head Obverse $5 Half Eagle Indian Head Obverse

$5 Half Eagle Classic Head Reverse $5 Half Eagle Coroent Head Reverse $5 Half Indian Head Reverse