The 1908 Indian Head Half Eagle is the popular first Half Eagle of this design type produced at the Philadelphia Mint. It actually has a lower mintage figure than the 1909-1913 dates but it is more available than these issues in higher grades because a fairly significant quantity was saved as first-year-of-issue souvenirs.

Contemporary reaction to the new Indian Head Half Eagle design was very negative but today’s collectors find these coins to be among the more attractive United States gold issues ever produced.

The 1908 Indian Head Half Eagle tends to show a good quality strike. Many have some minor weakness of strike at the centers and on the tips of a few of the feathers but this is among the better produced issues of this design.

1908 Half Eagle: Surface Abrasions, Luster Quality, and Rarity of Gem Coins

Most 1908 Half Eagles show a number of abrasions on the surfaces. Because of the incuse design, the surfaces were very exposed and, as a result, very few exist today that are considered to be Gem coins. In addition, in the days before third-party grading many Indian Head Half Eagles were kept in albums with acetate slides that scratched the Indian’s cheek whenever they were moved back and forth.

The luster ranges from very frosty to grainy in texture and frosty coins are considered the most desirable by collectors. The quality of the luster seen on the 1908 Half Eagle tends to be above-average for this design.