The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-04

.A
 W day for five-d0llar gold piece
 w of 1922 that coin took it's place as the rarest of American coins, eclipsing the 1s04 dollar, which for many years had that distinction. The price surprised coin dealers and collectors, for It ex- ceeded by over 5000 the greatest sum previously paid for specimen of the de- nomination and year.
 A curious phase of the history of this gold piece is that even those well in- formed 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 1t from a New York dealer in old coins for s6. Yet at that time only three specimens were known to exist
 No one knows why there are so few left, for the mint records show that 17,796 half eagles were struck in 1922 One of the two other specimens Is in the coin cabinet at the Philadelphia mint. while the private collection of Virgil M. Brand contains the third.
 The half eagle is the most popular coin
 
 series of gold coins and 1t leads all the rest in the number of varieties. Some 25O varieties of this denomination have been issued Of other gold coins there have been issued IT varieties of the eagle, 1s2 of the double eagle, 79 Of the gold dollars, 65 of the quarter eagles ana Al of the three-dollar piece.
 The design of the rare 1922 five-dollar cold piece was not different from the oth- CT dates of the priod. The design on the obyerse has the head of Liberty, Of about the same character as that used on all the silver coins up to the time of the change of general design In 1886. A cap surnounts the head on the band Of which is the word Liberty while around the border are thirteen stars.
 The first time this coin was offered at public sale was in 1890, when the speci- men owned by Lorin G. Parmelee of Bos- ton, brought s9oo
 The half eagle Is the oldest of the gold coins, having first been issued in 1796 the second year of operation of the United States mint. From that date It was issued steadily until 1901, in which year none was issued. Their coinage was resumed in 1902 and continued until 1s16. during which year and 1917 none was struck In ISIS 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 esteem besides the 1922 issue. There were two variues of 1795 half eagle. Recently these vare- ties in superb condition brought sl6o each.
 Three varieties were produced in the year 17s7. Two varieties of this date sold not long ago for $32o. but they looked as if they had come direct from the com ave nress which accounts for the very b,eb nremium. Those in ordinary condi- t,o,, arc worth a great deal less. In 1915 only es5 coins of the nve-doliar value were coined, and up to the present time this piece has been regarded as the rarest of the gold coins. The king of Sweden. who owns one of the world 8 greatest coin collections. made the record for this coin some years ago when he mid 5000 for e specimen to complete h,s series of American Issues. At a re- cant sale slo5o was paid for specimen of the same date. which makes the 1894 dollar now rank third in point of rar- ity.
 Onlv five of the e35 coins originally is- sued are now known. The value of this | coin was not appreciated until recent l years. for It was not very long ago that