203 / 228
181
Tied For Finest 1929 $5 Indian
1607
1929. PCGS graded MS-65.
The 1929 half eagle is the final year of
production for the Indian half eagle series. These have always been a
popular key date, despite the generous mintage of 662,000 pieces, the
vast majority were melted soon after they were released, and most were
likely gathered up from banks as the Depression of 1929 started to really
dig in. Few people could afford to hold onto a $5 coin as it represented a
weeks wages for many people in that era. Today there are probably close
to 800 of these that exist, most fall well short of the quality here despite
being in Mint State, they wre not gently handled and many suffer from
the expected cuts and nicks of bag transport. Gems have always been
precious and few, with PCGS noting only 10 at that level in their Popula-
tion Report. Importantly, there are none finer at either major grading
service. It had been a dozen years since the last half eagle was struck
for circulation in 1916, and thankfully for collectors more were produced
in 1929, little knowing at the time that these 1929 coins would be final
half eagles produced of this series. Frosty and well struck.
Pop 10; none
finer. Tied for the finest at either grading service (PCGS # 8533)
Estimated Value ............................................................... $80,000-UP
Ex. US Gold from a prominent midwestern family collection.