1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value
Expect a 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle to trade between about $826 and $8,103, driven almost entirely by grade, and its metal content alone is worth $810 as of 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1840 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.
Current 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle value
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1840 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.
1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications
- Series
- Liberty Head Half Eagle
- Year
- 1840
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- 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
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1840 Liberty Head Half 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.
What makes the 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle valuable
With 0.2419 oz of fine gold inside ($810 of metal at today's prices), a 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle can never trade below its bullion value, and rarer dates stack collector premiums on top.
The 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle lacks precise production records, so its value rests on demonstrated rarity: how often examples surface at auction and how they compare to documented specimens.
Context adds the final layer to the 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle. Charlotte and Dahlonega issues, struck from locally mined Appalachian gold until the Civil War closed both mints in 1861, are intensely collected for their history as much as their rarity. 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.
1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design
Obverse
***************** (date)
coronet head l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIVE D.
eagle, head l.
Measured 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
2 physically measured 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle examples 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle #1 | 8.365 g | 22 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.138, Breen.6523 |
| 1840 Liberty Head Half Eagle #2 | 8.316 g | 22 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.141, Breen.6528 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1840 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.