Indian Head Half Eagle

There were a many complaints concerning the portrait of the Native American Model that appeared in United State Coins including the Indian Head Half Eagle. Banks were among the biggest complainants – saying that these coins are very hard to store and very easy to counterfeit. Heck! Some of them even said that the design of these coins would accumulate dirt, germs, as well as life threatening diseases…making them a huge hygiene problem.

Liberty Head Half Eagle

It was during the late 1830’s when Robert M. Patterson, who is the Mint Director during those times, enlisted the help of Engraver Christian Gobrecht to alter the classic Liberty portrait on the half eagle, which was designed by William Kneass.

Classic Head Half Eagle

As a response to a dilemma that reached threatening proportions back in the 1830’s – the gold coins in circulation didn’t actually circulate, the Classic Head Half Eagle along with the Classic Head Quarter Eagle was produced. Back then, different wars in Europe were causing the price of world gold to reach unprecedented heights.