5 Dollar Gold Half Eagle - Indian Head

The 5 Dollar Gold Eagle Indian Head, also known as the Half Eagle, is a historic United States gold coin with a design that was revolutionary for its time. Both the portrait and the inscriptions are set into the surface of the coin in a recessed style. This technique is still rarely used today, which keeps the coin truly distinctive. Struck in 0.900 fine gold (21.6 carat), it contains 7.52 grams of pure gold, making it popular with both investors and collectors who value gold as well as history.

The coin has a gross weight of 8.36 grams and a diameter of approximately 21.6 mm. The 5 Dollar Indian Head was issued as legal tender and genuinely circulated between 1908 and 1929. The offered pieces come from various dates and may show signs of wear consistent with circulation.

The coin’s face value was 5 US dollars (USD). Today, its value is many times higher due to its gold content and historical importance. The Indian Head Half Eagle succeeded the Liberty Head Half Eagle and formed part of a completely new design series that replaced the Liberty Head type at the beginning of the 20th century.

Delivery and Packaging

• Insured shipping, or collection by appointment in Alkmaar, Rotterdam, or Tilburg
• Individually packed in a plastic coin sleeve or a hard plastic capsule
• Secure, insured storage available via Holland Gold Safe

Why choose the $5 Gold Half Eagle - Indian Head?

• 21.6-carat gold (90% fine gold)
• A tangible piece of American history
• Iconic and distinctive design
• Compact format

Design

The 5 Dollar Indian Head Gold Eagle features an innovative design that clearly differs from earlier US coinage. The obverse shows a portrait wearing a Native American-style headdress. Officially, the portrait represents Liberty, yet it carries strong Native American characteristics. This is even more pronounced on the $5 issue than on the 10-dollar version, where the portrait has a more classical, Greek-inspired appearance. Above the head is the word LIBERTY, surrounded by 13 stars referring to the original states.

The design is struck incuse (recessed) into the coin’s surface. This means the portrait and lettering sit below the field rather than raised above it, giving the coin a look and feel all its own. At the time of introduction, the incuse style was controversial. There was even an incorrect belief that the recessed design would trap dirt and germs. As a result, the coin was not especially cherished and was seldom set aside, which is why examples in exceptional quality are relatively scarce today.

The reverse depicts an American eagle with arrows and an olive branch, surrounded by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and FIVE DOLLARS. The mottos IN GOD WE TRUST and E PLURIBUS UNUM are also included, the latter literally meaning “Out of many, one.”

The design was created by Augustus Saint-Gaudens at the initiative of President Theodore Roosevelt, who wanted to elevate American coinage artistically in a more classical tradition.

Price and Resale Value

Looking to sell your gold coins? Holland Gold offers a buyback guarantee for this coin. We also purchase coins that were not bought from us. On our website, under “sell to us,” you can view the current buyback price.