2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative Half Dollar BU

From Eaglet to Full-Grown Symbol of Freedom

From the moment the Second Continental Congress selected the Bald Eagle as our National Emblem (despite the protests of Benjamin Franklin that it be the turkey), the majestic bird of prey native to North America has been the centerpiece of the Great Seal of the United States. In doing so, our founding Fathers once again showed wisdom beyond their years as the majestic bid has come to symbolize America’s freedom, strength and democracy.

It came as somewhat of a shock to the members of Congress that by the early 1960s just 400 known nesting pairs remained in the United States – down from 100,000 pairs at the time of our nation’s founding less than 200 years earlier. To bring attention to Bald Eagle recovery efforts and to honor the symbol of America, the U.S. Mint released a stunning series of one-year-only Bald Eagle commemorative coins in 2008 that paid tribute the bird’s removal from the Endangered Species List the previous year. Today, more than 10,000 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles can be found throughout the continental United States.

The commemorative half dollar available in this offer was struck at the San Francisco Mint and is made of copper-nickel. Each also comes in gleaming Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) condition, as fresh, crisp and sharp as they day it left the mint. And the designs are utterly magnificent:

The coin’s obverse displays an incredibly detailed nest with two young eaglets huddled around an unhatched egg brimming with hope for the future. The initials of sculptor Joseph Menna – who is now the U.S. Mint’s 13th Chief Engraver – appear at the bottom right of the design while designer Susan Gamble’s initials appear in the lower left. The reverse features a dynamic profile of a noble Bald Eagle, its strong beak and sharp eyes gaze out from the coin as an American flag waves in the background. The initials of sculptor Charles L. Vickers and designer Donna Weaver can be seen in the Eagle’s feathers on the coin’s lower left.

With a mintage of just 97,491 half dollars struck in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) condition, these coins disappeared faster than an eagle diving for its prey. By comparison, the Proof version had a mintage of 195,358 – more than twice as many! Ever since these beautiful commemoratives were released, we’ve had a tough time trying to track down as many of the Uncirculated versions as we could lay our hands on. That’s why we’re incredibly pleased to bring them to you today. Get yours now before they disappear again!

• A TRIBUTE TO THE AMERICAN BALD EAGLE – The 2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative Half Dollar pays tribute to Bald Eagle recovery efforts and its status as the nation’s national emblem. It depicts a nest of eaglets on the obverse and a full-grown Bald Eagle on the reverse.
• ONE-YEAR-ONLY COMMEMORATIVE – These coins were struck by the San Francisco Mint and were released as one-year-only commemoratives.
• UNITED STATES LEGAL TENDER – Each 2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative Half Dollar is 50 cents legal tender in the United States and measures 30.6 mm in diameter.
• BRILLIANT UNCIRCULATED CONDITION – Your2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative Half Dollar will come in original Brilliant Uncirculated condition as fresh, sharp and crisp as the day it left the mint.
• RELATIVELY LOW LIMITED EDITION – Just 97,491 Bald Eagle Commemorative Half Dollars were struck in 2008, compared to the 195,358 proof versions.

More than twice as many proof versions of this Brilliant Uncirculated Bald Eagle Commemorative Half Dollar were struck in 2008. Get one of these one-year-only BU coins now before some other eagle-eyed collector beats you to it!