The production of 72,500 half eagles at the Denver Mint in 1911 gives this issue one of lowest mintages in the Indian series, second only to the 1909-O. Mintmark collecting was still in its infancy at the time and most collectors were content to add a Proof example for the year. As such, the 1911-D $5 is one of the most challenging Indian half eagles to locate in Mint State. While relatively available in AU, the issue becomes conditionally scarce any higher and most Mint State examples are at the lowest levels. The mass meltings of the late 1930s further reduced the number of available specimens. The 1911-D half eagle has long been recognized as a key date issue and is always in demand by specialists in 20th century gold coinage.

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the Fairmont Collection Hendricks Set, where it realized $48,000.