INDIAN HEAD FIVE DOLLARS OR HALF EAGLE (1908-1929)
1910 Indian Head Half
Eagle - Roman Proof
The 1910 Indian Head Half Eagle is one of
the most common dates of this type but choice and gem quality
specimens are very scarce. Proofs are of the same Roman Finish
type as those of 1909 and are equally rare. In my opinion,
it lis likely that either the relatively high proof mintage
figure is in error or many of the proofs were subsequently
melted because the proofs of 1910 are as rare as those of
other dates of this type with much lower mintages.
None (for Philadelphia,
PA) left of the arrowheads on the reverse.
1910 Indian Head Half Eagle,
Roman Proof
The Philadelphia Mint continued using the Roman finish
on these Proofs. This date is available in most Proof
grades including four specimens that have been graded
as PF-68 by NGC, although none rate higher than PF-66
by PCGS. This is one of the more available Proof dates,
ranking as the sixth scarcest of the eight Proofs
in the series.
PRATT'S INDIAN HEAD DESIGN (1908-29)
One of the fulfillments of Pres. Theodore Roosevelt's
"pet crime" plan-improving coinage designs,
bypassing the stupefying mediocrity of Mint Engraver
Barber-was issue of gold coins in the new design by
Bela Lyon Pratt. The story behind this design is in
Chap. 33, Sect, viii, introductory text. To this same
"pet crime" project we owe the magnificent
St. Gaudens eagles and double eagles, and ultimately
also the Lincoln cent and buffalo nickel, undisputedly
making this period the zenith of American coinage
art, at least for sheer numbers of excellent designs
introduced to circulation. (Barber got his revenge
by watering down the designs.)
Nevertheless, hardly were the first Pratt half eagles
out of the Mint before traditionalists began attacking
the design on flimsy grounds. Earlier I cited S. Hudson
Chapman's objections. A more serious criticism which
could have been raised is that Barber ordered mintmarks
to be placed just 1. of arrowheads, failing to notice
that the O, S, or D will be weakly struck and wear
down in that location more quickly than any other
detail.
As
a result, some of the rarer dates like 1908 S and
1909 O come so weak that mintmarks are difficult to
read with certainty, and occasionally the ungodly
either affix an O to a genuine Philadelphia coin or
alter 1909 D to simulate the rarer mint-mark.
A consequence of a different kind is the 1916 without
mint-mark S. Though the Philadelphia Mint issued no
half eagles in 1916, at least two survivors lack the
mintmark. These are generally thought to be 1916 S's
weakly struck so that S does not show. The only one
I have examined is strong enough to make that conclusion
dubious. Alternative possibilities include foreign
matter in the die clogging the mintmark, lapping to
remove clash marks, and inadvertent omission of mintmark.
As neither specimen reported is uncirculated, the
question remains undecidable.
Aside
from this var., the rarest Pratt half eagles in mint
state are 1909 O, 1915 S, 1911 D, and most other S-Mint
issues. In other grades, 1929 is unquestionably rarest.
It remained unrecognized until March 1944, when a
specimen estimated at a routine $25 at auction brought
nine times that figure. During ensuing decades, at
least 60 specimens (mostly mint state with varying
amounts of bag marks) were dispersed from original
rolls; a fourth roll of 20 remained in private hands
in 1978. Dispersal has been slow to avoid depressing
the market.
Proofs 1908-15 are much rarer than those of the preceding
decade, rarer than their reported mintages suggest.
Doubtless heirs mistakenly spent some, and turned
in others during the Great Recall of 1934. Reportedly,
many of the [75P] of 1915, with some unsold 1914's,
went to the Mint's melting pots in Jan. 1917. These
proofs use several variants of the matte, sandblast,
and satin finishes. The list herein (as in Breen {1977})
is doubtless incomplete, but any authentic proof of
an unlisted finish will be an extreme rarity. Fraud
artists have simulated proofs by sandblasting business
strikes; but the real proofs have much more sharpness
of detail (especially on feathers). Edges are much
sharper than on business strikes. Some of these fraudulently
altered coins aroused suspicion because the sandblast
finish covered nicks and scratches. Authentication
is recommended.
The Coinage Act of July 23, 1965 (PL 89-81), Sect.
392, has apparently restored legal-tender status to
half eagles.
PRATT'S INDIAN HEAD
DESIGN
Designer, Bela Lyon Pratt. Engraver, Charles E. Barber,
after Pratt. Mints, Philadelphia (no mintmark), New
Orleans (mintmark O), San Francisco (S), Denver (D).
Mintmarks 1. of arrowheads. Physical Specifications,
Authorizing Acts, as before.
Grade range, VERY GOOD to UNC.; not collected below
VERY FINE. FINE: Knot of hair cord visible; partial
feather contours both sides; full date, letters, and
stars, but no central details. VERY FINE: Over half
headband details; hair-cord knot clear; partial internal
details to Indian's feathers; partial details on breast
and leg feathers, over half wing-feather details.
EXTREMELY FINE: Isolated tiny rubbed spots only; partial
mint luster. UNCIRCULATED: No trace of wear; look
on cheekbone, headdress below BE, and shoulder of
wing (below back of eagle's neck). NOTE: Mintmarked
coins are often weak in centers and at mintmarks.
HISTORY
in 1910: Washington, D.C., March 26.
Congress amends Immigration Act of 1907 to bar entry
into United States of paupers, criminals, anarchists
and diseased persons. Spokane, Washington, June 19. Father's Day
is first celebrated under guidance of Mrs. John B.
Dodd. Washington, D.C., June 24. Congress passes
law requiring all American passenger ships to carry
radio equipment. The Arctic, July 2. American Oscar Tamm becomes
first person to cross Arctic by automobile. Columbus, Ohio, July 11. Phil Parmelee flies
a plane with a string of silk, 500 yards long, attached
to it. in order to promote a department store. Atlantic City, New Jersey, July 12. To demonstrate
future of military air attacks, Glenn Curtiss drops
oranges from his plane onto a ship. Osawatomie, Kansas, August. John Brown Memorial
Park, named in honor of militant abolitionist, dedicated
by Theodore Roosevelt. Hammondsport, New York, Sept. 2. Blanche Stuart
becomes first American woman to fly in an airplane. The Hague, The Netherlands, Sept. 7. International
court of arbitration extends American fishing rights
in Newfoundland; starts commission to arbitrate individual
grievances. Chicago, Oct. 23. Philadelphia Athletics defeat
Chicago Cubs in World Series, four games to one. Ohio. Local elections result in 58 of state's
88 counties voting to outlaw liquor. Baltimore. Report on medical education names
Johns Hop-kins University as only American equal of
European institutions. New York City. Artist John Sloan joins Socialist
Party and runs for assemblyman, winning only 102 votes.
Redding, Connecticut,Apr. 21. Mark
Twain, novelist and humorist (*Nov. 30. 1835). Chocorua, New Hampshire, Aug. 26. William James,
influential psychologist and philosopher (*Jan. 11,
1842).