Half-Eagle
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia · John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
A gold coin of the United States, of the value of five dollars. The weight of the piece is 129 grains (act June 28, 1834; Act Feb. 12, 1873) of standard fineness, namely, nine hundred thousandths of pure gold, and one hundred of alloy of silver and copper: “provided that the sliver do not exceed one-half of the whole alloy.”
Act of Jan. 18, 1837.
For the proportion of alloy in gold coins of the United States since 1863, see Eagle. For all sums whatever the half-eagle was a legal tender of payment of five dollars. It Is now a legal tender to any amount, when not below the standard weight, and then in proportion to its actual weight Act of February 12, 1873. HALF ENOEAL or HALFEN DEAL. A moiety or half of a thing.