Numismatic

1915 Barber Half Dollar VG

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The year 1915 marked the penultimate year of a classic American silver series. This half dollar, struck in 90 percent silver at the Philadelphia Mint, represents a fascinating moment in United States coinage. With a remarkably low mintage of just 138,000 pieces, finding one of these coins today offers a direct connection to the era just before the nation entered the First World War. Designed by Charles Barber, the obverse of the coin presents a dignified profile of Lady Liberty. She wears a laurel wreath atop her head, which is also adorned with a traditional Phrygian cap. The motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" is inscribed above her, with the year 1915 anchored at the bottom. The reverse side displays a heraldic eagle with its wings fully spread. A protective shield rests against the bird's chest, while its talons grasp both a cluster of arrows and an olive branch, representing the dual concepts of strength and peace. In its beak, the eagle holds a banner bearing the motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM". The inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "HALF DOLLAR" frame this powerful national symbol.