1913-S $5 Indian Gold Half Eagle MS-64 PCGS

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The 1913 gold five dollar piece struck at the San Francisco Mint represents a fascinating departure from traditional coinage methods. Unlike typical coins with raised features, this Indian Gold Half Eagle employs an innovative incuse design, meaning the details and inscriptions are sunken below the flat surface of the coin. This specific specimen has achieved a high level of preservation, certified by experts as being in Mint State 64 (MS-64). The obverse features a realistic portrait of a Native American chief looking left, wearing a detailed war bonnet. The year 1913 is clearly visible beneath the portrait, alongside the tiny initials of the designer. On the reverse, a proud American eagle stands on a bundle of arrows wrapped in an olive branch. The traditional national mottos, including the Latin phrase meaning out of many, one, are carefully integrated into the design. Struck from 0.900 fine gold, this coin contains 0.2419 troy ounces of precious metal. With a total mintage of 408,000 pieces, finding an example in such a well-preserved state offers a captivating window into early twentieth-century American minting history.