Numismatic

1898 Barber Half Dollar AU

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The 1898 Barber Half Dollar is a striking representative of late nineteenth-century American coinage. Struck in 90 percent silver, this fifty-cent piece carries a total silver weight of 0.3617 ounces. Designed by Charles Barber, the coin showcases a distinct aesthetic that defined United States circulating currency at the turn of the century. The obverse presents a profile of Lady Liberty facing right, adorned with a laurel wreath and a Phrygian cap. A ribbon in her hair displays the word LIBERTY, while the motto IN GOD WE TRUST is inscribed above her. The year of mintage, 1898, is positioned at the bottom of the design. On the reverse, a heraldic eagle dominates the field with its wings spread wide. A protective shield is positioned on its chest, and the bird holds a banner in its beak bearing the Latin phrase E PLURIBUS UNUM. In its talons, the eagle grasps an olive branch and a cluster of arrows, symbolizing both peace and readiness. The surrounding inscription reads UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and HALF DOLLAR.