1910-D $5 Indian Head Half Eagle PCGS MS64

David Akers:

Until a hoard of several hundred Uncirculated coins (and some About Uncirculated pieces) was found in early 1979, this issue was very rare in any Mint State grade. Nearly all of the hoard coins were of low quality (a few MS-63, mostly MS-60 to MS-62) and this issue is still very rare in MS-64 or better condition. A number of gems (MS-65) do exist with Norweb's perhaps the finest, but above that level there is nothing that I am aware of. In MS-64 and better condition, the 1910-D is virtually identical in rarity to the 1908-D and 1914-D.

Nearly all examples of this issue are well struck and the mintmark is in "high relief" but only fairly well defined. Most known Mint State examples come from a hoard discovered in Europe in 1979 and they are all lacklustre. However, most other Mint State examples of this issue have very good to excellent lustre (cf. the Norweb specimen). Many specimens have a satiny texture; a smaller number are of the "soft" frosty type. Color varies widely from light greenish gold to rose colored gold to rich orange and greenish gold.