1914 Indian Head $5 Half Eagle

1914 Indian Head half eagles are considered common in the relative terms of pre-1934 United States gold coinage. They are generally easy to find at most coin dealer stores and are widely available at bullion metal outlets, too. In fact, the 1914 Indian Head half eagle is common enough to be included in many bullion investment portfolios. That said, numismatists appreciate the Bela Lyon Pratt design and find curiosity in the fact that the coin was one of only two United States coinage issues (including Pratt’s Indian Head $2.50 quarter eagle) to feature an incuse design. Many people were concerned that the incuse design would harbor bacteria, though those fears never came to fruition.

Here’s a glance at the mintages and values for 1914 Indian Head half eagles:

• 1914; 247,000 minted, $810

• 1914-D; 247,000, $810

• 1914-S; 263,000, $810

• 1914 proof; 125, $9,500

*Prices are for coins grading Very Fine-30, unless otherwise noted.

Indian Head half eagles are made from a composition that is 90 percent gold composition and 10 percent copper, which is standard for most pre-1934 U.S. gold coinage. They weigh 8.359 grams and are only a tad wider than a modern U.S. five-cent coin.