What a Indian Head $5 Half Eagle is worth in gold at today's spot price, how much gold it contains, and the official specs behind the number.
Melt value now
$1,011 per coin
Gold spot $4,178.60/troy oz as of Oct 19, 2026, 1:06 AM PT × 0.2419 troy oz of fine gold. Spot fetched when this page was built.
| Quantity | Fine gold | Melt |
|---|---|---|
| 1 coin | 0.2419 oz | $1,011 |
| 10 coins | 2.4188 oz | $10,107 |
| 20 coins | 4.8375 oz | $20,214 |
Melt is the metal only. It ignores collector (numismatic) value, which can be far higher for scarce dates, high grades or certified coins. It's also not what you'll be paid: dealers usually buy below melt to cover refining and their margin, and sell above it. Use melt as a floor-of-metal reference, not a price.
Different weight or a partial lot? Use the melt calculator.
Specs
| Years | 1908–1929 |
|---|---|
| Face value | $5 |
| Composition | 90% gold, 10% copper |
| Fineness | .900 |
| Gross weight | 8.359 g (0.2688 troy oz) |
| Fine gold content | 0.2419 troy oz (7.523 g) |
Bela Lyon Pratt's sunken (incuse) design, so the high points sit below the rim. A quarter of the gold in a $20.
Sources:
In a sale now
From our Pennsylvania Treasury sale picks (Pook & Pook, Wed Oct 28). Pick melt figures use the spot time shown on that table; the figure above uses current spot.
FAQ
0.2419 troy ounces of pure gold (7.523 g), in a coin that weighs 8.359 g in total. That figure comes from the official specification cited on this page, not from weighing a coin.
Multiply its fine gold content (0.2419 troy oz) by the gold spot price per troy ounce. At $4,179/oz that comes to $1,011 per coin. For several coins, multiply by the count.
Usually not quite. Dealers typically pay somewhat below melt for common bullion and junk silver to cover refining, shipping and their margin. Coins with collector value can sell well above melt, so check a coin's date, mint mark and condition before selling it as metal.
Keep reading
Saint-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle · Liberty Head $20 Double Eagle · Indian Head $10 Eagle · Liberty Head $10 Eagle · Liberty Head $5 Half Eagle · $2.50 Quarter Eagle (Indian Head & Liberty) · $1 Gold Dollar
All coin melt values and the calculator · How we estimate melt
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