1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle Value
Today a 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle typically sells for $826 to $8,103, with condition doing most of the work, and its metal content alone is worth $810 as of 2026-06-01 Where your coin lands depends on wear, strike and surface quality.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $810.26 |
| Good (G-4) | $826 to $1,094 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $826 to $1,134 |
| Fine (F-12) | $826 to $1,195 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $882 to $1,296 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $999 to $1,469 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1,205 to $1,772 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $1,515 to $2,228 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $2,066 to $3,038 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $5,510 to $8,103 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-14. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
Today's value of the 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle starts around $826. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $8,103. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications
- Series
- Liberty Head Half Eagle
- Year
- 1839
- Mint mark
- D
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- 90% gold, 10% copper
- Weight
- 8.359 g
- Diameter
- 21.6 mm
- Edge
- Reeded
- Designer
- Christian Gobrecht
- Gold content
- 0.24187 troy oz
Where is the mint mark on a 1839 Liberty Head Half Eagle?
To confirm your 1839 coin is the Dahlonega issue, find the small "D". On the reverse, below the eagle The mark is small, so tilt the coin under a light if it is not obvious.
What makes the 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle valuable
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Pre-1933 gold carries two values at once: the 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle holds 0.2419 oz of metal ($810 today) plus the historical premium of a coin the Treasury once tried to recall entirely.
Context adds the final layer to the 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle. coin struck at all seven historic mints, including the short-lived Southern gold mints at Charlotte and Dahlonega. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY / D/ 1839
Liberty bust left surrounded by 13 stars
Reverse
• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA • / FIVE D.
Heraldic eagle
Measured 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
1 physically measured 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 8.359 g, 21.6 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle #1 | 8.289 g | 22.65 mm | 6 h | Friedberg.USA.140, Breen.6521 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1839-D Liberty Head Half Eagle is valued between $826 and $8,103 as of 2026-06-14. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.