1852-D Half Eagle - 1852-D $5 NGC AU58. This buttery 1852-D Half Eagle radiates mint luster. The surfaces of this 1852-D Half Eagle are slightly abraded and there is a touch of light wear on the highest points of the design, in keeping with the grade. The strike of this 1852-D Half Eagle is average showing some weakness in Liberty’s eyebrow and hair and the arrow feathers on the reverse. The 1852-D Half Eagle was designed by Christian Gobrecht. His portrait of Liberty is of a young woman seen in profile looking to the left. She wears a LIBERTY inscribed coronet and her hair, except for two curls that flow down her neck, is tied in beads.
Thirteen six-pointed stars surround her, and the date is below the truncation. On both sides near the edge of the coin are dentils. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with wings outstretched. It clutches arrows and an olive branch in its talons. The required inscription, interrupted by the wing tips, surrounds the eagle, and the denomination written as FIVE D. is below. The mintmark is below the juncture of the arrow and olive branch above the denomination.
The discovery of gold in Georgia in the early 1800’s led to the establishment of a Southern branch mint in the mining community of Dahlonega. The gold was actually discovered on Cherokee land, and in Cherokee Dahlonega means “yellow money.” Dahlonega gold coins are sought by collectors and investors because of the history associated with them and their low mintages. Modern D mint coins should not be confused with Dahlonega gold coins. Today a coin bearing the D mintmark was minted in Denver, which began production in 1906.
