1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle Value
The 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle carries a current retail range of about $6,061 to $283,598 across circulated and Mint State grades; the melt floor under every example is $3,241 (spot prices as of 2026-06-01) The figures below break the range down grade by grade.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $3,241.13 |
| Good (G-4) | $6,061 to $8,913 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $7,714 to $11,344 |
| Fine (F-12) | $9,918 to $14,585 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $13,775 to $20,257 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $20,662 to $30,386 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $30,305 to $44,565 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $46,834 to $68,874 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $82,649 to $121,542 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $192,847 to $283,598 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
How much is a 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle starts around $6,061. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $283,598. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle specifications
- Series
- Liberty Head Double Eagle
- Year
- 1868
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- 90% gold, 10% copper
- Weight
- 33.436 g
- Diameter
- 34 mm
- Edge
- Reeded
- Designer
- James Barton Longacre
- Gold content
- 0.96750 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
The 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (On the reverse, below the eagle), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
Why the 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle is worth money
Documented examples of the 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
With 0.9675 oz of fine gold inside ($3,241 of metal at today's prices), a 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle can never trade below its bullion value, and rarer dates stack collector premiums on top.
There is history in a 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle as well. Born of the California Gold Rush, the double eagle packed nearly an ounce of gold into a single coin and quickly carried most of America's monetary gold. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.
1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* 1868
bust l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TWENTY D.
eagle facing, head l., motto within stars, rays above
Measured 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle specimens
1 physically measured 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 33.436 g, 34 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle #1 | 33.382 g | 34 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.177, Breen.7229 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle is valued between $6,061 and $283,598 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.