Numismatic

1915-S $5 Indian Gold Half Eagle XF

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In 1915, the San Francisco Mint struck a limited run of 164,000 gold five-dollar coins, known as half eagles. This particular issue stands out in American numismatics due to its revolutionary incuse design, where the details are recessed below the flat surface of the coin rather than raised above it. Crafted from 90 percent pure gold, each coin contains 0.2419 troy ounces of precious metal. The obverse features a realistic portrait of a Native American man wearing a traditional feathered headdress. This central figure is surrounded by thirteen stars representing the original colonies, with the word LIBERTY positioned above and the year 1915 below. The designer's initials, B.L.P. for Bela Lyon Pratt, are subtly placed on the design. On the reverse, a proud bald eagle stands atop a bundle of arrows and an olive branch. The inscriptions include the issuing nation, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, along with the traditional mottos E PLURIBUS UNUM and IN GOD WE TRUST. The denomination is clearly marked as FIVE DOLLARS, and the small S mint mark indicates its origin from the San Francisco facility.