Numismatic

1909 Barber Half Dollar Fine

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The year 1909 marked a time of steady production for United States coinage, including this silver half dollar. Struck with a purity of 90% silver, this piece contains 0.3575 troy ounces of precious metal. Having circulated through early twentieth-century commerce, it survives today in a condition graded as Fine, showing the honest wear of its journey while retaining its core design elements. On the obverse, the profile of Lady Liberty faces right, adorned with a laurel wreath and a traditional Phrygian cap. The motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" is inscribed along the upper rim, while the year "1909" is anchored at the bottom. This side of the coin represents a classic era of American numismatic art, conceived by the engraver Charles Barber. The reverse displays a heraldic eagle with wings fully spread, protecting a shield on its chest. In its beak, the eagle holds a ribbon inscribed with "E PLURIBUS UNUM". Its talons grasp an olive branch and a bundle of arrows, representing the dual concepts of peace and military readiness. The surrounding inscriptions clearly identify the issuing authority as the "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" alongside the denomination, "HALF DOLLAR".