Liberty Head $5

The Liberty Head half eagle carried Gobrecht's coroneted portrait from 1839 to 1908 and connects seven mints through No Motto and With Motto types.

This guide covers all cataloged 1839–1908 issues and preserves both reverse types and four modeled varieties.

Core specifications

Issue period

1839–1908

Catalog mints

6

Reported catalog mintage

60,735,324

Composition

90% Gold - 10% Copper

Diameter

21.6 mm

Weight

8.36 g

A five-dollar design follows the nation west

The half eagle was a useful gold denomination, and Gobrecht's design moved through every operating federal mint of its long era.

The Civil War, the 1866 addition of IN GOD WE TRUST, and western mining transformed production without replacing the main portrait.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

A coroneted Liberty faces left, with stars around and the date below; portrait details changed subtly while the major design remained stable.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

The eagle-and-shield reverse appears without a motto through 1866 and with IN GOD WE TRUST on a scroll above thereafter.

Where the cataloged coins were made

Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.

• P — Philadelphia: 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908; 31,981,968. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
• S — San Francisco: 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906; 23,995,608. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
• D — Denver: 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1906, 1907; 2,294,794. Confirm the D mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
• O — New Orleans: 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, 1851, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1892, 1893, 1894; 890,945. Confirm the O mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
• C — C: 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861; 862,392. Confirm the C mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
• CC — Carson City: 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893; 709,617. Confirm the CC mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.

Representative issues that explain the series

A two-type set is approachable; a seven-mint or full date-and-mint collection is a major long-term project.

• 1839 C — 17,205. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1841 O — 50. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1854 S — 268. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1875 P — 220. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1908 P — 421,874. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.

Start with the major type, then study smaller die differences

The current catalog records 4 varieties. A variety name describes repeatable die features; it does not automatically mean error, rarity, or added value.

The issue catalog keeps all 4 modeled varieties attached to their parent issue records.

Issue catalog

From one type coin to a complete catalog

• One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
• Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
• Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
• Variety study: Choose one date or diagnostic family and record several matching markers for every attribution.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 213 issue records, 4 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

1. The Evolution of Liberty on U.S. Coins — United States Mint
2. Gold Eagle Coins and Their History — United States Mint
3. Liberty Head $5 category reference — PCGS CoinFacts