$5 Gold Half Eagle Indian Head - Very Fine VF (Random Year)

**$5 Gold Half Eagle Indian Head - Very Fine VF (Random Year)** **Introduction:** The $5 Gold Half Eagle Indian Head is regarded as one of the most unique and innovative designs among the [**United States coins**](file:///buy-gold/us-gold-coins). It is popular for its distinctive sunken relief or repressed design, unlike the regular high-raised reliefs. The design was engineered keeping in mind the artistic value and also the practical use for commerce. The sunken relief for the Half Eagle was inspired by the Egyptian sunken relief designs. These coins were minted from 1908­-1929 with pauses in between by the [**US Mint**](https://www.usmint.gov/). President Theodore Roosevelt is the pioneer behind this unique and innovative idea which has great historical significance and artistic value that has attracted the collectors and investors to invest in it. **Coin Features:** - Contains .2419 Troy Oz of .900 fine gold. - Eligible for [**Precious Metal IRA**](file:///ira) - Very Fine (VF) Condition. - Obverse: Displays a leftward facing portrait of a realistic-­looking male Native American wearing a headdress in the center. The date, 13 stars, and the motto “LIBERTY” form a circle around this central device. Designed by Bela Lyon Pratt. - Reverse: Features a majestic bald eagle perched on a bunch of arrows and holding an olive branch in its talon. Inscriptions: "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", "E PLURIBUS UNUM", "IN GOD WE TRUST", and the denomination “FIVE DOLLARS.” Designed by Bela Lyon Pratt. - Minted from 1908­-1929, dates and mint marks will be chosen randomly based on availability. - U.S. Mint issue from the following mints: Philadelphia, Denver, New Orleans, San Francisco - Individual coins will come in protective plastic flips. Multiples of 40 will come in protective plastic [**tubes**](file:///supplies/coin-tubes). - 100% Authentic. **Why Buy Gold Quarter Eagle [Indian Head](file:///buy-gold/us-gold-coins/pre-1933/indian-head)?** - The coin is made from .900 fine gold and has 10% copper alloy, which makes it strong and durable to wear and damage, thereby increasing its resale value. - Pre-­1933 gold coins are some of the most sought-after coins in the market. - This coin is special because of its sunken relief design. - The coin has been holding great price-performance track records. - The coin’s intrinsic value is much higher than its face value. - It will help you broaden and strengthen your investment portfolio. **Detailed Information:** The initiation for bringing in fresh, modernized, and beautiful designs had begun when Theodore Roosevelt was elected president. The United States coins had become stagnant without much change for more than 60 years when the president came to power, hence he could get the designs changed without any congressional authorization required. He had given the great honor of changing the designs of the four denominations [Double Eagle](file:///20-gold-double-eagle-liberty-type-almost-uncirculated-au-random-year), Eagle, Half Eagle, and Quarter Eagle to his close friend and a renowned sculptor of that time, Augustus Saint-­Gaudens. When Saint-­Gaudens’ Double Eagle and Eagle designs were released, they were the most appreciated coins for their beauty and went down the history as the most beautiful coins. However, Gaudens had been fighting cancer and lost his life in August 1907, therefore the designs for the Half Eagle and Quarter Eagle were left undone. The destiny of the Half Eagle and Quarter Eagle took a different course, when a close friend of President Theodore Roosevelt, Dr. William Sturgis Bigelow, a physician from Boston wrote a letter to the president about a new concept for coin designs that he had been working with a sculptor from Boston, Bela Lyon Pratt. According to him, the idea for coins was borrowed from the sunken relief Egyptian designs that he saw at the Boston Museum. He had written that through the sunken relief, the coins could not just achieve high relief designs, but the designs were also protected as they were below the surface of the coin and since the designs were all below the surface of the coin, it was easy to stack the coins. The president, who was open to new and innovative ideas was impressed by the idea and wanted to know more about it. Hence Pratt got to work and created a model based on the August Saint-­Gaudens Eagle design where the Liberty is seen wearing a headdress. However, instead of using a female portrait, Pratt preferred to use an unknown male Native American portrait that he had in his photo collection. He made a sunken high relief model of a leftward facing realistic-­looking male Native American wearing a headdress on the obverse with a date, 13 stars, and the motto “LIBERTY” encircling the central device. On the reverse, the coin had the design of a majestic bald eagle perched on a bunch of arrows holding an olive branch in its talon to symbolize preparedness and peace. Pratt could also get all the inscriptions into the small coin which are "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", "E PLURIBUS UNUM", "IN GOD WE TRUST" and the denomination “FIVE DOLLARS.” When the president saw this model, he was happy with the design and approved the mint to strike it. Upon its release, the coin however went through a lot of criticism as people were unfamiliar with the new sunken relief concept. Although many liked the design there were also some who criticized it as an ugly design and doubted that it would stack well. Particular numismatists from Philadelphia, Samuel Chapman wrote in his letter to the president that it was easy to counterfeit this design on a metal blank and that the sunken relief design could harbor dirt and germs. He felt it was not a good-looking design with the “emaciated Indian.” The president was not moved by any of this criticism and the mint continued to strike these coins. The coin enjoyed great usage and success proving all those who criticized it wrong. The [**Gold Eagle Indian Head coins**](file:///buy-gold/us-gold-coins/pre-1933/indian-head) were minted from 1908-­1916 and then the mintage was stopped for a whopping 13 years. Again it was minted for just one last year which was 1929. Today the coin is extremely popular for being one of the only two coins in US coinage to have sunken relief and with its high relief design it has immense artistic value and due to its gold content has great bullion value. It is sought-after by collectors and investors alike. Bullion Exchanges is pleased to offer you these **$5 Gold Half Eagle Indian Head** at one of the most competitive prices in the industry. Feel free to browse our vast collection of [**Pre­-1933 US Gold coins**](file:///buy-gold/us-gold-coins/pre-1933) today to become a proud owner of an inseparable part of American coinage history. You can contact us at 800­-852­-6884 if you have any questions in regards to Pre­-1933 gold coins. **You may also like:** - **[$5 Gold Half Eagle Indian Head - Almost Uncirculated AU (Random Year)](file:///5-gold-half-eagle-indian-head-type-almost-uncirculated-au-random-year)** - **[$5 Gold Half Eagle Indian Head - Brilliant Uncirculated (Random Year)](file:///5-gold-half-eagle-indian-head-bu-ry)** - **[$5 Gold Half Eagle Indian Head - Extra Fine XF (Random Year)](file:///5-gold-half-eagle-indian-head-type-extra-fine-xf-random-year)**