1857-S $5 Liberty Head Half Eagle – NGC AU55

Struck at the San Francisco Mint during the height of the California Gold Rush, the 1857-S Liberty Head Half Eagle stands as a powerful emblem of America’s westward expansion and industrial ambition. Each gold coin struck at this fledgling mint carried with it the promise and peril of a nation in transformation, and survivors of this issue are treasured for their historic and regional significance.

Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the obverse features Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, surrounded by thirteen stars representing the original colonies, with the date below. The reverse displays a bold heraldic eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch, with the mintmark “S” placed just above the denomination FIVE D. This design—dignified, balanced, and quintessentially American—remains one of the most admired of the pre-Civil War period.

This NGC AU55 example exhibits attractive yellow-gold color with soft luster visible in protected areas. The strike is sharp and the fields show only light, even wear consistent with careful circulation. The detail in Liberty’s hair and the eagle’s feathers remains crisp, underscoring its superior eye appeal for the grade. Mintage for the 1857-S half eagle was limited to 97,000 pieces, and far fewer survive today in About Uncirculated condition, particularly with such even color and surfaces.

As a true product of the Gold Rush and an early output of the San Francisco Mint, this 1857-S $5 gold piece connects collectors to one of the most dramatic chapters in U.S. history. It is a tangible artifact from the age of discovery, wealth, and adventure that built the American West.

The coin pictured is the exact coin you will receive.