1896 $5 Liberty Gold Half Eagle MS-63 PCGS CAC

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In 1896, the Philadelphia Mint struck a limited run of just 58,960 gold half eagles. These five-dollar gold pieces represent a classic era of American coinage, minted without a mint mark to denote their origin at the nation's primary coining facility. Crafted from 90 percent gold, each coin contains approximately 0.2419 troy ounces of precious metal. The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Liberty, her hair secured in a tight bun with a few loose curls cascading down her neck. She wears a coronet inscribed with the word LIBERTY, surrounded by thirteen stars representing the original colonies, with the year 1896 anchored at the bottom. The reverse displays a heraldic eagle with a shield across its breast, clutching an olive branch and arrows in its talons, surrounded by the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the five-dollar denomination. This particular specimen has survived more than a century in exceptional condition, graded as Mint State 63 (MS-63). At this grade level, the coin retains its original mint luster and displays only minor, scattered marks, preserving the intricate details of the engraving just as it emerged from the dies in 1896.