Semi-Numismatic

$5 Indian Gold Half Eagle (Damaged)

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Between 1908 and 1929, the United States Mint produced a highly unusual five dollar gold piece. Unlike traditional coinage with raised details, this series features an incuse design where the elements are recessed below the flat surface of the coin. This distinctive artistic method was crafted by Bela Lyon Pratt, offering a completely different tactile and visual experience for anyone studying early twentieth-century American money. The front of the coin displays a profile of a Native American wearing a traditional feathered headdress. Surrounding this central figure are thirteen stars, the word LIBERTY, and the year of issue. Just below the portrait, the designer's initials, B.L.P., are visible, denoting Pratt's contribution to this innovative piece of currency. On the reverse, a proud bald eagle stands on a bundle of arrows wrapped in an olive branch. The inscriptions include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the national motto IN GOD WE TRUST. The denomination is spelled out at the bottom as FIVE DOLLARS. These coins contain 0.2419 troy ounces of gold with a purity of 0.900, and they were struck at various mint facilities including Philadelphia, Denver, New Orleans, and San Francisco.