A survey of 19th century business strike coin
$5 DRAPED BUST, HERALDIC EAGLE (1800-1807)

Owner Comments:

After a number critics characterized the small eagle reverse as “a sick turkey” or “a turkey buzzard” mint officials replaced that design with their version of The Great Seal of The United States. The heraldic eagle silenced the critics although a few modern collectors lament the passing of the first more natural looking depiction of our national bird. There are some very rare 1795 and 1797 dated heraldic eagle five dollar gold pieces, but these “emergency issue” coins were struck in 1798 after the heraldic eagle design had been introduced.

The half eagle was the most popular of the three early gold denominations. The mintages were relatively high, and the coins received far more use than the quarter eagle and more use than the eagle, especially when coinage of that denomination was suspended in 1804. The 1806 half eagle which is “knobbed 6, 7x6 star” variety is the most common early gold coin variety. Still “common” is relative. The estimated population is 600 to 900 pieces. The coin is almost perfect for the grade with no significant defects.