The early gold quarter, half and full Eagles of the United States are some of the rarest and costliest coins in the world due both to their low original mintage and wholesale destruction that occurred when their melt value exceeded their face value in the mid 1830s. Nearly all of the U.S. gold coins made prior to 1834 ended up in the melting pot, and such coins as the 1822 Half Eagle, which boasted an original mintage of 17,796 pieces are known today by just three examples!

The earliest Half Eagles showed a Capped Bust of Liberty facing right, surrounded by anywhere from 13 to 16 stars. The first type portrayed a small eagle perched on a branch holding a wreath in its beak and is dated from 1795 to 1798 inclusive, though the 1798 of this first type is extremely rare with just six pieces known.

A second reverse portraying a heraldic eagle overlaps in dates with the first type, and bears dates from 1795 through 1807. It is believed however, that all coins of this second type were struck in 1798 or later, and that earlier obverse dies were used. All dates prior to 1798 are quite rare, and are mid five-figure coins even in circulated grades of VF-XF. Mint state examples extend well into six-figures.