Numismatic

1913-S $5 Indian Gold Half Eagle AU-58 PCGS

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The 1913 gold half eagle represents a fascinating departure from traditional coin design. Struck at the San Francisco Mint, this five dollar gold piece features an incuse design, meaning the details are sunken below the flat surface of the coin rather than raised above it. This unusual method gives the coin a distinct flat profile and protects the intricate details of the artwork from heavy wear. On the obverse, a realistic depiction of a Native American chief wearing a ceremonial war bonnet faces left. Thirteen stars encircle the portrait, representing the original American colonies, accompanied by the word LIBERTY and the 1913 date. The reverse displays a proud bald eagle standing on a bundle of arrows and holding an olive branch, symbolizing both strength and peace. The eagle is surrounded by the country of origin, the traditional mottoes, and the denomination. This historic coin contains 0.2419 troy ounces of gold with a purity of 90 percent. With a total mintage of 408,000 pieces, each surviving specimen offers a tangible look at early twentieth century American minting artistry, marked by the small S mint mark on the reverse to denote its origin in San Francisco.