1881 Fairmont Collection Coins

In 1881, the United States was preparing to enter a new age. The horrors of the American Civil War were gone and the Reconstruction Era in the American South had come a close. While the situation had calmed in the American East and American South, a new hotbed of activity and chaos erupted in the American West. The famous American outlaw, Billy the Kid (William H. Bonney), was active during this period. He was involved in a series of clashes and conflicts in the American Southwest. The infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, took place on October 26, 1881. It was a confrontation between lawmen, including Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, and a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys.

1881 Fairmont Liberty Half Eagles

The 1880s was a period of production for the $5 Liberty Gold Half Eagle unlike any that had occurred in the program’s history. As the American economy got back on track following the Civil War and Reconstruction, the Gilded Age brought a new rush of industrialization and expanded foreign commerce.

In 1881, the Philadelphia Mint, San Francisco Mint, and the Carson City Mint all produced $5 Liberty Gold Half Eagle Coins. The Philadelphia Mint issued a stunning 5,708,760 coins, while the Carson City Mint issued just 13,866 coins with CC mint marks. Additionally, the San Francisco Mint struck 969,000 coins with an S mint mark.