1873-S Half Eagle - 1873-S $5 PCGS AU50. This lustrous, Western branch mint 1873-S Half Eagle has the look of an AU53 or more coin. It is well struck with full details on the centers of the stars, Libertys hair, the eagles neck, and the area to the lower left of the shield. Significant amounts of mint luster remain within the devices on both sides of the coin. Just a bit of wear on the highest points and some surface abrasion marks keep this coin from a higher grade.

Christian Gobrecht designed the Liberty Head Half Eagle or Coronet half eagle. The coin shows Liberty facing left in profile wearing a LIBERTY inscribed coronet with her hair tied in the back with beads. Two long curls hang down her neck, one in the back and the other on the side. She is surrounded with thirteen six-pointed stars. The date is below the truncation, which shows no drapery. The motif is taken from a Benjamin West painting of Venus. It was also used with modifications for the Large Cents of 1839. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with outstretched wing looking to the left. On its chest is the Union shield. In its talons it holds the olive branch and arrows. Except for the tips of the eagles wings UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the reverse, separated from the denomination FIVE D. by dots. Dentils are near the edge on both sides of the coin, and the edge is reeded. Type 2 was created when the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to a banner designed by James B. Longacre above the eagle in 1866. The change was made in response to pressure organized by the Reverend M.R. Watkinson.

In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to William Kneass. After Kneass suffered a debilitating stroke, Gobrecht did all the die and pattern work for the Mint. He became Chief Engraver in 1840 and served until his death in 1844. He was famous for his Liberty Seated motif which was used for all denominations of silver coinage including the half-dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and silver dollar. He also designed the Liberty Head gold eagle, a motif that was also used on the half-cent, the cent, the gold quarter eagle, and the gold half eagle.

The 1873-S Half Eagle is a scarce coin in any grade. It is interesting to note that only 1 Mint State example of this coin has been certified by both grading service. In its population report, PCGS shows 6 in AU50 condition with 10 better.