Numismatic

1846 $5 Liberty Gold Half Eagle XF (Large Date)

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Struck in 1846, this five-dollar gold piece represents a fascinating era of American coinage. Minted in Philadelphia, the coin bears no mint mark, which was the standard practice for the main facility at the time. Containing 0.2419 troy ounces of gold with a purity of 0.900, this half eagle belongs to a mintage of 395,942 pieces. However, its modern scarcity is heightened by the fact that vast numbers of these coins were melted down in subsequent decades, leaving only a fraction of the original population for enthusiasts to study today. The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Liberty, her hair bound by a band inscribed with the word LIBERTY. A ring of thirteen stars surrounds her, representing the original colonies, with the large 1846 date positioned below. On the reverse, a detailed heraldic eagle protects a shield on its chest, clutching an olive branch and arrows. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the abbreviated denomination FIVE D. encircle the central eagle design, completing a classic piece of mid-nineteenth-century numismatic artistry designed by Christian Gobrecht.