Numismatic

1908-S $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 five-dollar gold piece, also known as the Half Eagle. Created by sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt, this series stands out because its design elements are recessed into the coin's surface rather than raised above it. This distinctive incuse style gives the coin a remarkably flat profile while preserving the intricate details of its artwork from wear. The obverse features a realistic portrait of a Native American man wearing a traditional feathered headdress. Thirteen stars encircle this central figure, representing the original colonies, accompanied by the word LIBERTY and the 1908 date. Pratt's initials, BLP, are subtly placed just above the date. On the reverse, a proud bald eagle stands atop a bundle of arrows and an olive branch. The legends UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and FIVE DOLLARS frame the bird, while the historic mottos E PLURIBUS UNUM and IN GOD WE TRUST are nested in the open fields. This specific coin was struck at the San Francisco Mint, denoted by the small S mint mark located to the left of the bundle of arrows. With a remarkably low mintage of just 82,000 pieces, each coin contains 0.2419 troy ounces of pure gold within its 90 percent gold alloy.