Half Eagle (5-dollar gold coin)

E7981

The Half Eagle is a historic U.S. five-dollar gold coin, first authorized in 1792, that circulated widely in the 19th century and underwent several design and composition changes over its minting life.

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Observed surface forms (3)


Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United States gold coin
five-dollar coin
authorizationYear 1792
authorizedBy Coinage Act of 1792
category U.S. gold coinage
pre-1933 U.S. gold coin
circulationCentury 18th century
19th century
20th century
coinStandard gold standard
collectible yes
compositionChanged yes
country United States of America
denomination five dollars
denominationSeries Eagle family
designChanged yes
edge reeded (most issues)
faceValue 5 USD
firstYearOfIssue 1795
higherDenomination Eagle (10-dollar gold coin)
historicalCirculationRegion United States of America
surface form: United States

international trade
historicalEra early U.S. federal coinage
historicalStatus discontinued
legalTender yes
lowerDenomination Quarter Eagle (2.50-dollar gold coin)
Three-dollar gold piece
metal gold
mintedBy United States Mint
mintLocations Charlotte Mint
Dahlonega Mint
Denver Mint
New Orleans Mint
Philadelphia Mint
San Francisco Mint
monetaryMetalRole full-bodied gold coin
monetaryRole intermediate denomination between quarter eagle and eagle
monetarySystem U.S. decimal coinage system
numismaticInterest high
obverseDesignType Liberty head (various types)
redeemableIn gold (under gold standard)
reverseDesignType Heraldic eagle (various types)
standardUnitRelation half of an Eagle (10-dollar gold coin)
statusAfter1933 primarily a collector’s item
withdrawn from circulation
typicalUse circulating medium of exchange
store of value

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Coinage Act of 1834 changedGoldContentOf Half Eagle (5-dollar gold coin)
Quarter Eagle (2.50-dollar gold coin) designType Half Eagle (5-dollar gold coin)
subject surface form: Quarter Eagle
this entity surface form: Liberty Head
Eagle (10-dollar gold coin) relatedDenomination Half Eagle (5-dollar gold coin)
this entity surface form: Half eagle (5-dollar gold coin)