Numismatic

1912-S $5 Indian Gold Half Eagle AU-58 NGC

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The 1912 gold half eagle represents a fascinating departure from traditional coinage methods. Struck at the San Francisco Mint, this five dollar gold piece features an innovative incuse design, meaning the details are pressed deep into the coin's surface rather than raised above it. This distinctive styling gives the coin a flat, protected surface that helped preserve its intricate details over the decades. On the obverse, a Native American figure wearing a traditional ceremonial headdress faces left, encircled by thirteen stars representing the original colonies. The word Liberty and the 1912 date are also sunken into the metal. The reverse displays a proud bald eagle standing amidst the classic national mottos, including E Pluribus Unum and In God We Trust, alongside the denomination of Five Dollars and the United States of America inscription. With a recorded mintage of 392,000 pieces, this specific coin has been certified in About Uncirculated 58 condition. Composed of 90 percent gold, it contains 0.2419 troy ounces of precious metal and carries the S mint mark, indicating its origin from the San Francisco facility.