1837 Classic Head Half Eagle
Base
About This Coin
The 1837 Classic Head Half Eagle is a United States Gold Half Eagle from the Classic Head Half Eagles 1834-1838 series — a late issue, 4th of 5 years in the series. In 1837, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 207,121. This represents the lowest annual mintage in the entire series, below the series median of 371,534. The obverse features Liberty facing left wearing a fillet or headband inscribed LIBERTY and the reverse displays a heraldic eagle with shield on breast, olive branch and arrows in talons, with a banner reading E PLURIBUS UNUM without the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. The Panic of 1837 disrupted banking and reduced coin demand. Philadelphia mintage decreased. Struck in 90% gold, 10% copper, weighing 8.36 grams, 22.5 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Across its variants, estimated values range from $1.4K to $25K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $312K in MS66+ grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by William Kneass.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.