The 1909 Indian Head $5.00 Half Eagle gold coin is widely sought by knowledgeable collectors who enjoy the coin’s unique incuse design. Moreover, well-worn examples of this coin are very good values in the precious metal marketplace because they can be purchased for only a slight premium above the spot price of gold.
As a result, the 1909 Indian Half Eagle gold coin is well worth studying.
To help you get started on studying this great coin, here is a handy buyer’s guide to the 1909 $5.00 Indian Half Eagle gold coin that can help you learn some important background information about the coin.
Specifications:
Mintage: 627,080 business strikes, 78 Proof examples.
Mintmark: none.
Place of Manufacturer: Philadelphia, PA.
Designer: Bella Lyon-Pratt.
Weight: 0.2687 troy ounces.
Gold content: 0.2419 troy ounces.
Purity: 90% gold, 10% alloy.
Design Information:
The 1909 Indian Head Half Eagle $5.00 gold coin features a unique incuse design that features all of the major design elements of the coin under the surface of the coin. This unique design has intrigued coin collectors for generations because most coins feature design elements that appear above a coin’s surface.
The obverse of this coin features a portrait of a Native American chief who is wearing war feathers. He looks towards the viewer’s left. Thirteen stars encircle the Native American. These stars represent the original 13 American colonies. The date appears below the Native American at 6 o’clock. The word “Liberty” is spelled out across the obverse at 12 o’clock.
The reverse features the phrase “E Pluribus Unum” on the left and our nation’s motto “In God We Trust” on the right. The middle of the reverse features a small bald eagle perched on a stem. Our country’s name is inscribed on the reverse at 12 o’clock.
How to select a high-quality 1909 Indian Head Half Eagle:
Strictly Uncirculated examples of this coin are hard to locate because the incused design used on the coins is very vulnerable to wear on the Native American’s jawbone and war bonnet. Moreover, the eagle feathers on the reverse tend to wear quickly near the eagle’s breast and forehead. As a result, it is a good idea to check these areas for wear before purchasing the coin as an Uncirculated example.
If you are not sure how to grade US gold coins properly, it is a good idea to purchase lightly worn examples of the 1909 Indian Half Eagle gold coin. These coins are normally called Extremely Fine or About Uncirculated by knowledgeable collectors. They will have light wear on the Native American’s cheekbone and war bonnet on the obverse and light wear on the eagle’s forehead and breast on the reverse. They will also have much of their original mint luster intact. These coins are much easier to grade properly because most of the wear is usually located in one centralized location.
Moreover, They are a fantastic value because they tend to have much of the beauty that a strictly Uncirculated example possesses without the heavy price tag that uncirculated examples fetch.
As a result, many knowledgeable collectors don’t mind purchasing a slightly circulated example of the 1909 $5 Indian Half Eagle gold coin. Perhaps you won't mind either?