USA Gold Five Dollars Half Eagle Coronet Head 1880

Description

Denomination: Gold 5 Dollars

Period: Rutherford B Hayes was President in the US and Victoria was on the British throne

Date: 1880

Origin: San Francisco mint

Condition: VF with a few contact marks

Obverse: The bust of Lady Liberty. left. with the date below. 13 stars around

Reverse: The arms of the United States with the country name above and the denomination below. legend around and motto in ribbon. S mint mark below eagle

Size and Weight: 21.6mm. 8.35g

References: KM#101

Features and Provenance: The ‘Half Eagle’ has been in circulation since 1795 in various guises. with a denomination of $5 (dollars). the $10 being the ‘Eagle.’ It was the first gold coin produced by the US mint. In 1839 the ‘Liberty or Coronet head’ was introduced with a small change to the motto being introduced on the reverse in 1866. It was produced in seven US mints. this example being from San Francisco denoted by the small S under the eagle. The .900 purity of gold put this at parity with the European equivalent at the time. The 13 stars denote the 13 colonies that declared independence from Great Britain prior to the formation of the United States. 

Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between

Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear

Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear. all parts of legend etc present. visible and clear

Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief. all parts of legend etc present. but maybe worn

Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible