1890-CC $5 Liberty PCGS MS63 CAC

The reverse side of this Type bears an elevated scroll positioned above the eagle, upon which the motto IN GOD WE TRUST is prominently inscribed. With the exception of the scroll, it remains identical to the No Motto Type.
The incorporation of the motto into our coinage was spurred by the urging of Reverend Mark R. Watkinson from Ridleyville, Pennsylvania. The unsettling experiences and distresses of the Civil War evoked profound religious sentiments within the populace, prompting Rev. Watkinson to advocate for its inclusion. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase concurred and, exercising his discretion over coin inscriptions, oversaw the initial introduction of the motto on the 2-cent piece in 1864. Originally intended as "In God Our Trust," the final version might have been influenced by Chase's collegiate alma mater. Chase was an alumnus of Brown University, which upholds the motto IN DEO SPERAMUS, translating to "IN GOD WE HOPE." It is believed that this influenced Chase's decision regarding the precise wording of the motto. The Coin Act of March 3, 1865 bestowed discretionary authority upon the Treasury to include the motto "on all coins able to accommodate it," referring to coins of sufficient size. The Mint interpreted this to encompass all silver coins larger than a dime, half eagles, eagles, and double eagles. However, it wasn't until 1908 that Congress mandated the motto's presence on gold and silver coins. In 1955, Congress passed legislation that stipulated the motto's placement on all coins.
With the exception of 1873, all With Motto Half Eagles dated before 1878 exhibit low mintages, rendering them rare and valuable. This phenomenon is rooted in the circumstances of the Civil War. Throughout the war, gold coins were stockpiled, and banks suspended specie payments. This hoarding practice led to a bifurcated pricing structure, wherein transactions with paper currency incurred higher costs than those paid in gold. Minted gold coins were primarily employed for international trade, bolstering bank reserves, and fulfilling specific contractual obligations necessitating payment solely in gold. The anomaly of 1873 arises from the Treasury's deposition of significant numbers of aged, worn, obsolete gold coins for re-coinage. Following the resumption of specie payments by banks in 1878, mintages surged, resulting in a substantial influx of half eagles into circulation.
This coin is collected both as a Type and within a multitude of sets. In addition to sets organized by date or date and mintmark combinations, a popular approach involves obtaining a single coin from each of the seven Mints that produced half eagles. Notably, half eagles are the exclusive coin minted at all seven U.S. Mints.