The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-09-22
RhREST OF OUR GOLD COINS
ONLY THREE 1922 HALF EAGLES
-S2,1e5 PAID FOR ONE.

King Of Sweden Paid $4,000 for 1915
Eagle-cther High Priced Colo
Pieces.
When s2,165 was paid the other day
FOR five-dollar gold piece Of lS22
that coin took its place as the fafesl
OF American coins, eclipsi1s the l6Vi
dollar, which for many years mao
that distinction, says the New YORK
Sun. The price surprised coin deal
ers and collectors, for it exceeded by
more than 81 900 the greatest sum pre-
viously paid for specimen OF this
denomination and year.
A curious phase of the history OF
this gold piece is that even those
well informed about coins did not
know Of the rarity of the 1922 half
eagle until about twenty years ago.
It is a matter of record that the last
owner Of the coin bought it from a
New York dealer in old coins for S.
Yet at that time only three specimens
were known Of
No one knows why there are so
few left. for the mint records show
that 1876 half eagles We're struck
in 1922. One OF the two other speci-
mems is in the coin cabinet at the
Philadelphia Mint while the private
collection of Virgil NJ. Brand contains
the third.
The half eagle is the most popular
coin with the collectors Of all the
American series of gold coins. and it
leads all the rest in the number OF
varieties Some $50 varieties of this
denomination have been issued. Of
other gold coins there have been is
sued III varieties of the eagle, 132 OF
the double eagle, seventy-nine of the
gold dollars, sixty-five Of the quarter
eagles and forty-seven of the three
dollar piece.
The design of the rare 1922 five
dollar gold piece was not different
from the other dates Of the period.
The design on the diverse has the
head of Liberty, of about the same
character as that used on all the sill
yer coins up to the time Of the change
of general design in 1886. A cap sur
mounts the head. on the band of
which is the word Liberty while
The first time this coin was offered |
at public sale was in 1890, when the
specimen owned by Lorin G. Parme /
lee of Boston brought 5000.
Tie half cage is the Oldest of the
gold coins. having first been issued in .
1875, the second year of operation OF
the United States Mint From that
date it Was issued steadily until 1861.
In which year none was issued. Their
coinage was resumed in 1902 and con-
and 1917 none was struck. In 1918
their coinage again began, and they
have been issued regularly each year
ever since
A great many varieties and dates
of the half eagle are held in high es-
teen besides the 1922 issue There
were two varieties of the 1895 half
eagle. Recently these varieties in SUI
perb condition. brought $3.50 each.
Three varieties were produced in
the year 1897. Two varieties of this
date sold not long ago for $500. but
they looked as il they had come direct
from the coinage press, which &C
counts for the very high premium.
Those in ordinary condition are worth
4 great deal less.
In 1915 only 635 coins of the five
iOllar value were coined, and up to
the present time this piece has been
as the rarest of the gold
coins. The King of Sweden, who
,wns one Of the worlds greatest coin
made the record for this
'oin some years ago, when he paid
1000 for specimen to complete his
eries of American issues. At a re-
'ent sale $1,000 was paid for speci-
men of the same date, which makes
he 1904 dollar now rank third In
'Oint Of rarity.
Only five of the 635 coins original
= issued are now known. The value
I this coin also was not appreciated
ntil recent years. for it was not
cry long ago that a good specimen I
ould be bought for $50
A remarkable coin in the five dol |
II series is that of 1919. The mint
ecords show that 51,273 were struck.
nd yet a single one brought $3.50
he scarcity Of this coin presents an
Their problem hard to solve.
The 1921 half eagle has brought
300, which is still another source j
wonderment, for 1854 were is I
red. Another rarity is that of 1926, L
hich brought 800, yet 1909 were '
,ined originally. 7