Liberty Head

Gold Half-Eagles from the “Gold Rush Mint”

Here’s a United States Gold Half-Eagle struck at least 115 years ago by the San Francisco Mint, the “Gold Rush Mint” that opened in 1854 to serve the gold mines of the California Gold Rush. All major details are still sharp on these coins. You’ll be able to read the word “Liberty” in the coronet on the obverse, and the shield on the reverse is still well-defined. Struck in 8.359 grams of highly pure 90% fine gold, each coin is in collector grade Extremely Fine to About Uncirculated (XF–AU) condition with only slight wear and full details.

This Five Dollar Gold Liberty Was The Merchant’s Choice

From the moment the first of these coins rolled out of the United States Mint in the mid-1800s to their final curtain call just after the Turn of the Century, the Five Dollar Gold Liberty Half Eagle served as the fuel of business across the country. This workhorse coin of commerce had the perfect balance of its time — a large enough denomination for most day-to-day transactions, yet small enough for merchants to easily make change. Imagine a coin with the same ubiquity and utility as today’s $20 bill, and you pretty much get the idea!