1908
Half Eagle - 1929 Half Eagle: Set of Two Indian Head Half Eagles
The
numismatic adventure can be enriched by acquiring groups of
coins in meaningful combinations. Sets of coins can run from
two pieces to many. In the areas of rare date and early silver
and gold coins we have established certain sets of special
interest. They include the first and last of an issue, type
sets, design sets, year sets, and those that are joined by
historical events such as the Civil War. The coins of each
set are specially selected for you and your collecting needs.
We are specialists in this
area and will expertly and confidentially help you assemble
a set similar to the one you see below, which is made up of
pieces from the US Rare Coin Investments’ archives.
We will cherry pick through millions of dollars of rare coins
selecting only the finest quality pieces for your collection.
A Set of First and
Last Half Eagles, Indian Head 1908 and 1929
Like the Indian Head quarter
eagle designed by Bela Lyon Pratt, the Indian Head half
eagle was highly innovative for its time. One new aspect
was the realism used in the portrait of the Indian brave
on the obverse, and the other was the use of incuse design
details. President Theodore Roosevelt, influenced by his
friend, Dr. William Sturgis Bigelow, wanted the coinage
of the country redesigned. His “pet crime” was
to bypass the mediocre Charles Barber, the Mint Engraver.
Roosevelt, who was now in his second term of office, wanted
to reform the coinage of the United States, which he felt
was “atrociously hideous.” He wanted the half
eagle to use an American Indian as an emblem of liberty
and to use the incuse design of the ancients.
The obverse shows a profile
view of an authentic looking brave facing left. He is wearing
a full headdress. Above him is LIBERTY and below is the
date. Six five-pointed stars are on the left and seven are
on the right. The reverse shows a standing eagle, reminiscent
of the reverse of Saint-Gaudens’ eagle coin. Pratt
fit the four inscriptions on the reverse without it seeming
overcrowded. E PLURIBUS UNUM is in the left field, and IN
GOD WE TRUST is in the right. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
the words separated by dots is above, and FIVE DOLLARS is
below. The eagle stands on a bundle of arrows that resembles
the Roman fasces, symbol of the power to kill, and holds
an olive branch, symbol of peace.
The use of realism in the
obverse portrait was innovative because prior designed Indian
head motifs used stylized busts and fanciful war bonnets.
Although the name and tribe of Pratt’s Indian brave
are unknown, he is clearly authentic looking. Pratt’s
use of this figure is seen as an extension of a trend started
in 1899 with the portrait of “Running Antelope”
on the five dollar silver certificate.
The incuse design of the
coin was also an innovation for United States coinage. No
regularly circulating coin ever made use of this process
before. It was criticized by numismatists and people in
banking and commerce. They felt that the coins would not
stack, could be easily counterfeited, and were unsanitary
because dirt would get into the incused features. However,
despite this opposition, the public was indifferent, and
the coins remained in production and circulation until 1929,
when the Great Depression caused general economic upheaval.
1908
Half Eagle, Indian Head - The 1908
Indian Head half eagle is the most available in the
series. It is also the most common in gem condition
and usually can be obtained in lower Mint State grades.
This frosty, superb 1908 Half Eagle
is what is known as a condition rarity. It is tied
for fourth best at NGC and second best at PCGS. Both
sides are nearly pristine and completely original,
as expected for the grade. There are no visible abrasion
marks or other distractions that can be seen without
the aid of magnification. The strike is full throughout
the headdress and the wing feathers on the reverse.
1929
Half Eagle, Indian Head - The last
in the Indian Head series is the 1929 issue. It was
minted after a 13 year break. It is available in lower
Mint State grades but scarce in Gem condition and
unknown above MS65.
This near-Gem 1929 half eagle has
an above average strike and brilliant mint luster.
Full details are present on the feathers of the obverse.
The surfaces are original and clean for the grade
with no distracting abrasion marks or other problems.
The CAC sticker indicates that the coin is a premium
quality piece that fully deserves the assigned grade.
