Numismatic

1897 Barber Half Dollar Good

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The 1897 half dollar represents a classic era of United States coinage, struck in 90% silver with a metal weight of 0.3575 troy ounces. This fifty-cent piece showcases the artistry of its creator, Charles Barber, whose unified aesthetic defined American silver coins at the turn of the twentieth century. This specific coin has survived in Good condition, showing the honest wear of a piece that circulated widely in late nineteenth-century commerce. On the obverse, the profile of Lady Liberty faces right, adorned with a laurel wreath and a Phrygian cap. The motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" is inscribed above her head, with the year 1897 anchored at the bottom. The reverse displays a heraldic eagle with its wings spread wide. A protective shield rests upon its chest, while the bird grasps an olive branch and a bundle of arrows in its talons. In its beak, the eagle holds a banner, surrounded by the legend indicating the nation of origin.