Numismatic

1897-S Barber Half Dollar VG

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This 1897 half dollar, minted in San Francisco, represents a classic era of United States silver coinage. Struck with a purity of 90 percent silver, this piece contains 0.3575 troy ounces of precious metal. Having circulated through daily commerce, it carries a graded condition of Very Good, showing the honest wear of an object that once passed through countless hands at the turn of the twentieth century. The obverse showcases a profile of Lady Liberty, envisioned by designer Charles Barber. She wears a laurel wreath atop her head and a Phrygian cap, with the word Liberty partially visible on her band. Surrounding her portrait are the stars of the original colonies and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, with the year 1897 anchored at the bottom. On the reverse, a powerful heraldic eagle dominates the design. The bird is depicted with its wings spread wide, protecting a shield on its chest. In its beak, the eagle grasps a banner, while its talons hold both an olive branch and a bundle of arrows, symbolizing a desire for peace alongside a readiness for defense. The San Francisco mint mark, a small S, is located below the eagle, marking its origin at the Western mint.