1896 Liberty Head $5 Half Eagle

1896 Liberty Head half eagles were made at the Philadelphia and San Francisco (S) mints. Generally, 1896 half eagles are considered common, though they should not necessarily be regarded as bullion coins. All pre-1933 U.S. gold coins are scarce as they were melted in huge quantities in the 1930s and thereafter, which certainly applies to 1896 Liberty Head $5 gold coins.

Here’s a look at the mintages and values of 1896 $5 Liberty Head half eagle gold coins:

• 1896; 58,960 minted; $716

• 1896-S, 155,400; $716

• 1896 proof, 105; $12,500

*Values are for coins grading Very Fine 20 unless otherwise stated.

Collectors need to remember that the mintage figures listed above do not equate to modern-day population figures. Most of the coins reflected in the mintages have actually been melted down or otherwise lost to the elements of time, therefore only a fraction of the total production is left behind. Still, there are enough 1896 $5 gold coins to meet current demand.

Christian Gobrecht designed 1896 Liberty Head half eagles, which measure 21.6 millimeters wide and contain 0.24187 ounces of gold. Interestingly, Gobrecht also designed the silver Seated Liberty coinage that was in production from the late 1830s through the early 1890s.