1850-C $5 (1850-C Half Eagle) Weak C, PCGS XF45 CAC. The 1850-C Half Eagle comes with either weak or normal C. This specimen is the weak variety. A good deal of mint luster is seen within the devices of this Southern branch mint half eagle. The grade of XF45 is confirmed by CAC. All the details of Libertys hair down her neck show. There is slight wear on the top of the coronet. The strike is average for the date and mint with central weakness on both sides.

Christian Gobrechts Coronet Heads, No Motto were minted from 1839 to 1866. There were two types of the design, the first with the mint mark on the obverse above the date and the second with the mint mark above the denomination on the reverse. The present coin is the second type. Gobrecht modified the previous designs denomination, 5D. He replaced the numeral with the word FIVE. The obverse shows Liberty facing left, surrounded by thirteen stars, her hair tied with beads in a bun, wearing a coronet which is inscribed LIBERTY. She also has two long loose curls, one on the back of her neck and one from behind her ear. The reverse is the heraldic eagle design, which shows the eagle facing left with wings outstretched, holding olive branch and arrows in the correct claws with a union shield attached to its chest. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the reverse with the denomination at the bottom. Dots precede and follow the denomination separating it from the legend. Between the juncture of the arrows and olive branch and the denomination is the C mintmark for the Charlotte Mint.

All Charlotte gold coins are scarce. Much of it is rare, and some is extremely rare because of a combination of low mintages and melting overseas. Many coins that were minted before the Civil War were used to purchase armaments abroad. Much of this coinage was melted in Europe to make coins of the realm. Only a tiny fraction of the C mint coinage survives today.

The 1850-C half eagle had an original mintage of 63,591. In its population report PCGS has certified 169 pieces in all conditions. In CAC shows 1 in XF45 with 1 better.