U.S. COIN REFERENCE · Liberty Head half eagle
Liberty Head half eagles: motto, diameter, and seven mints
A long-lived design needs more than one standard and mintmark rule.
By SalarsNet · Reviewed October 5, 2026
Early size and the later motto
Liberty Head half eagles begin in 1839. Early broad-mill pieces differ in size from later coins. IN GOD WE TRUST is added to the reverse in 1866. Keep date, diameter, motto, and value together before applying a specification.
Type references: PCGS Liberty Head $5 ↗
A D can name two mints
This series spans Charlotte, Dahlonega, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carson City, Denver, and Philadelphia contexts. Dahlonega and Denver both use D in different periods. An exact year resolves that distinction; a generic D lookup cannot. Preserve the mintmark and date as one identity record.
Type references: PCGS Liberty Head $5 ↗
Rarity is issue-specific
The 1854-S and 1875 Philadelphia issues are examples requiring specialist rarity and authentication research. Many later dates offer a different availability context. Inspect hair, cheek, eagle, fields, rims, and edge for wear or alteration, then compare the actual issue and surfaces. Do not reuse a dated certified population as a survival estimate.
Type references: PCGS Liberty Head $5 ↗
Selected reviewed issue records
These catalog standards describe the named issue, not a measured specimen. The selected records below do not cover every date, mint, strike, or die variety. Reported production is labeled separately from established mintage. Unknown standards and mintage remain visible; survival estimates and certified populations are separate research questions.
No issue-level specification or mintage records are published for this category yet. Verify the exact date, mint, strike, metal, and subtype in its reference before using a numerical standard.
References and review
Reference reviewed October 5, 2026. Historical facts and catalog standards need to match the exact issue; price comparisons should be researched at the time of valuation.
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