$5 Gold Coin Value
As of October 2, 2026, with gold at $4,141.64 per troy ounce, a pre-1933 $5 gold half eagle has a melt value of $1,001.74. Liberty Head and Indian Head half eagles both hold 0.24187 troy ounces of pure gold.
Pre-1933 $5 gold half eagles, the Liberty Head (1839 to 1908) and the Indian Head (1908 to 1929), contain 0.24187 troy ounces of pure gold. The melt value below follows the live gold spot price.
Melt value per coin
$1,001.74/coin
- Gold content
- 0.24187 troy oz
- Purity
- 90% gold
- Gold spot
- $4,141.64/oz
- As of
- Oct 2, 2026, 15:21 UTC
1 coin: $1,001.74
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$5 Gold Half Eagle Specifications
A half eagle weighs 8.359 grams (129 grains) at .900 fineness, for 0.24187 troy ounces of pure gold, half the gold in a $10 eagle and twice a $2.50 quarter eagle. Every denomination is on the US gold coin melt values table, and the live spot chart is on the gold price page.
| Specification | Liberty Head Half Eagle | Indian Head Half Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Years minted | 1839 to 1908 | 1908 to 1929 |
| Face value | $5 | $5 |
| Gross weight | 8.359 grams (129 grains) | 8.359 grams (129 grains) |
| Fineness | .900 (90% gold) | .900 (90% gold) |
| Actual gold weight (AGW) | 0.24187 troy oz (7.523 grams) | 0.24187 troy oz (7.523 grams) |
| Diameter | 21.6 mm | 21.6 mm |
| Designer | Christian Gobrecht | Bela Lyon Pratt |
| Mint marks | None (Philadelphia), C (Charlotte), CC (Carson City), D (Dahlonega to 1861, Denver 1906 and 1907), O (New Orleans), S (San Francisco); on the reverse below the eagle (above the date on 1839 coins) | None (Philadelphia), D (Denver), O (New Orleans, 1909 only), S (San Francisco); on the reverse left of the arrow points |
Two modern coins also carry a $5 face value. US commemorative $5 gold coins, issued since 1986, use the same 8.359 gram, .900 fine standard and hold the same 0.24187 ounces. The 1/10 oz American Gold Eagle holds 0.1 troy ounces; its price is on the gold coin price page.
$5 Gold Half Eagle Melt Value at Different Gold Prices
Each row is 0.24187 troy ounces multiplied by the listed gold price, for either design.
| Gold spot price | $5 gold half eagle melt value |
|---|---|
| $3,500 per oz | $846.55 |
| $3,750 per oz | $907.01 |
| $4,000 per oz | $967.48 |
| $4,250 per oz (closest to current spot) | $1,027.95 |
| $4,500 per oz | $1,088.42 |
| $4,750 per oz | $1,148.88 |
| $5,000 per oz | $1,209.35 |
Liberty Head vs Indian Head $5 Gold Coins
| Design | How to identify it |
|---|---|
| Liberty Head (1839 to 1908) | Coronet Liberty by Christian Gobrecht; eagle with a shield on the reverse; IN GOD WE TRUST added above the eagle from 1866 |
| Indian Head (1908 to 1929) | Design by Bela Lyon Pratt sunk below the coin's surface (incuse), shared only with the Indian $2.50; none struck from 1917 to 1928 |
Which $5 Gold Coins Are Worth More Than Melt?
Common dates of both designs trade at melt plus a modest premium. Branch mints and key dates carry most of the collector value. The tiers below summarize the PCGS CoinFacts and NGC price guides.
| Coins | Typical value against melt |
|---|---|
| Common-date Liberty Heads from the 1880s to 1900s, circulated | Melt plus a modest premium |
| Common-date Indian Heads (Philadelphia 1908 to 1915), circulated | Melt plus a modest premium |
| Either design, certified mint state | Premium grows with grade |
| Charlotte (C) and Dahlonega (D) Liberty Heads, 1839 to 1861 | Southern branch-mint gold with strong premiums |
| Carson City Liberty Heads, 1870 to 1893 | Premiums in every grade |
| 1909-O and 1929 Indian Heads | Key dates; the 1909-O is the series' only New Orleans issue, and most 1929 coins were melted |
Before selling a half eagle for its gold, check the mint mark (below the eagle on Liberty Heads, left of the arrow points on Indian Heads). Typical dealer markups are on the coin premium page.
Published by MetalCharts, a free precious metals resource providing real-time prices, interactive charts, educational guides, and portfolio management tools. All market data sourced from COMEX, LBMA, and LME.
Data Methodology
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