Semi-Numismatic

$5 Indian Gold Half Eagle BU (Random Year)

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The United States five dollar gold coin, struck between 1908 and 1929, represents a fascinating departure from traditional coining methods. Created by artist Bela Lyon Pratt, this series features an incuse design, meaning the details are sunken below the flat surface of the coin rather than raised above it. This distinctive physical characteristic makes the coin a remarkable specimen to examine up close, as the flat fields of the coin actually protect the delicate inner details from wear. On the obverse, a Native American figure wearing a traditional feathered headdress faces left, encircled by thirteen stars representing the original colonies. The word LIBERTY is inscribed along the top curve, with the year of mintage positioned at the bottom. The composition contains 0.2419 troy ounces of gold, minted in a 0.900 fine alloy. The reverse displays a proud bald eagle perched upon a bundle of arrows and an olive branch. The design is surrounded by the country of origin, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, alongside the traditional national mottos E PLURIBUS UNUM and IN GOD WE TRUST. The face value is expressed at the bottom as FIVE DOLLARS. These historic gold pieces were struck at three different United States Mint facilities, including Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco.