The 1912 Indian Head Half Eagle is one of the more common Philadelphia Half Eagles in terms of overall rarity. In high grades, it is much rarer than the 1908 and 1909 and comparable to the 1911 and the 1913 but much more available than the underrated 1910. This is an extremely well produced issue that is almost always found with full detail on the obverse and the reverse. It is an excellent choice for type purposes because of this fact.

The surfaces usually are heavily abraded. This is really the case with essentially all of the issues in this series. This is due to the design of the Indian Head Half Eagle and the fact that these coins tended to be treated very roughly when they were being shipped from the U.S. Mint to local banks.

1912 Half Eagles: Unique Green-Gold Hue and Above Average Luster

The luster on this issue is above average but it tends to be grainy in texture and not frosty like on the earlier Philadelphia Half Eagles of this design. Some pieces have a subdued appearance and the collector who likes bright, flashy coins may have to wait a while before the right 1912 Half Eagle becomes available.

1912 Half Eagles are usually seen with a very distinctive green-gold hue. This color is different than that found on most other Philadelphia Indian Head Half Eagles and it gives this date a unique, distinctive appearance.