USA Coin Book
Half Eagle · $5.00
1873 Liberty Head Half Eagle (1839-1908)
Closed 3; Open 3
Key Features
Closed 3: 49,280. Open 3: 63,200. Survivors: about 750 Closed 3 and 600 Open 3. Source: PCGS CoinFacts.
Intriguing History
All six gold denominations continued through the Coinage Act of 1873. Early 1873 dates used a Closed 3 whose knobs nearly touched. Chief Coiner A. Loudon Snowden complained it could be mistaken for an 8, so engravers under Chief Engraver William Barber cut an Open 3 partway through the year. Despite the mintage, the 1873 half eagle is rare in AU and Mint State.
Total Weight8.36 g