One of the most iconic designs to ever feature on an American coin was Bela Lyon Pratt’s 1908 visual for the Indian Gold Half Eagle. This design was not only one of the first to capture the image of an indigenous figure, but was also the first to feature an incuse design strike. Today, 1908 $5 Indian Gold Half Eagle Coins in certified condition are available from JM Bullion.
Coin Highlights:
- Comes with PCGS plastic slabs!
- 1st year of availability for Indian Gold Half Eagles!
- Part of the Fairmont Collection!
- Mintage of 577,845 coins by the Philadelphia Mint!
- Contains .24187 Troy oz of actual gold content.
- The face value of $5 (USD) is fully backed by the US government.
- Graded Mint State 62 by the Professional Coin Grading Service.
- On the obverse is an indigenous figure.
- The reverse includes an American bald eagle.
In 1908, the US Mint debuted its final design for the $5 Gold Half Eagle. It was struck by the Philadelphia Mint, Denver Mint, and San Francisco Mint, with the Philadelphia Mint issuing the highest volume. Compared to the more than 577,000 coins issued by Philadelphia, Denver struck 148,000 coins and San Francisco struck just 82,000 coins.
All of these 1908 $5 Indian Gold Half Eagle Coins are in Mint State 62 condition. Coins with this grade have dull mint luster with clusters of small marks and a few large marks or nicks possible on the field of the coin. These particular coins have olive-gold surfaces and even boast a softly-frosted, lustrous images. Fairmont Collection coins come from a hoard of Pre-33 US Gold previously used in international commerce and recently repatriated to the US after being discovered in bank vaults overseas.
On the obverse of 1908 Indian Gold Half Eagles, you’ll find the left-profile bust of an indigenous figure. One of the first images of an indigenous figure on American coins, this design shows the figure wearing a large, feathered headdress.
The reverse side of the 1908 $5 Gold Half Eagle comes with a depiction of the American bald eagle. Perched at rest with its wings at its sides, the eagle is on a sheaf of arrows that is wrapped in an olive branch. The coins have incuse-struck designs, meaning the design elements are sunk into the field of the coin.
Please contact JM Bullion when you buy gold. You can call us at 800-276-6508, online using our web chat, and via our email address.