Numismatic

1908-D $5 Indian Gold Half Eagle AU

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In 1908, the United States Mint introduced a radical departure from traditional coinage design with the Indian Head Half Eagle. Created by Bela Lyon Pratt, this five dollar gold piece features an innovative incuse design, meaning the details are sunken below the flat surface of the coin rather than raised above it. This specific coin, struck at the Denver Mint, is composed of 90 percent gold, containing 0.2419 troy ounces of the precious metal. The obverse showcases a portrait of a Native American chief wearing a full ceremonial headdress. Thirteen stars encircle this central figure, representing the original colonies, with the word Liberty placed above and the year 1908 below. The initials BLP are subtly placed on the obverse to identify the creator. The reverse depicts a proud bald eagle standing on a bundle of arrows and holding an olive branch. The legend reads United States of America, and the denomination is spelled out as Five Dollars. The traditional mottos, E Pluribus Unum and In God We Trust, are also integrated into the reverse field. This Denver-minted issue, carrying the D mint mark, comes from a limited production run of 148,000 pieces.