1886 Liberty Head $5 Half Eagle

1886 Liberty Head half eagles were made at just the Philadelphia and San Francisco (S) mints. Yet, both mints combined were able to strike more than 3.5 million pieces, which was still more than the previous three years worth of $5 gold coin production combined.

Here’s a look at the mintages and values of 1886 $5 Liberty Head half eagle gold coins:

• 1886, 388,360 minted; $769

• 1886-S, 3,268,000; $769

• 1886 proof, 72; $15,500

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

Collectors should remember that the mintage figures listed above do not in any way equate to modern-day population figures. Many of the coins reflected in the mintages that are listed above have actually been melted down or otherwise were lost to the elements of time. Therefore only a fraction of the total production is left behind. Yet, there are plenty of 1886 $5 gold coins to meet current coin collector and bullion investor demand.

Christian Gobrecht designed 1886 Liberty Head half eagles, which measure 21.6 millimeters wide and contain 0.24187 ounces of gold. As an interesting aside for numismatists in particular, Gobrecht also designed the silver Seated Liberty coinage that was in production from the late 1830s through the early 1890s.