1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value

Depending on how well it survived, a 1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle brings anywhere from $826 to $8,103. Its intrinsic melt value stands at $810 based on spot prices from 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.

Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.

1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle value by grade

1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle value by grade
GradeEstimated 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 2026-06-13. 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 1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle worth today?

Figure roughly $826 as the realistic floor for a damage-free, well-worn 1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle, rising steadily through the grades to about $8,103 for a certified gem. Cleaned or damaged coins trade below these figures, though never below the $810 melt floor.

1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications

Series
Liberty Head Half Eagle
Year
1845
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 1845 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.

The value drivers behind this coin

Documented examples of the 1845 Liberty Head Half 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 0.2419 oz of fine gold inside ($810 of metal at today's prices), a 1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle can never trade below its bullion value, and rarer dates stack collector premiums on top.

There is history in a 1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle as well. Common Philadelphia and San Francisco dates of the 1880s-1900s survive in quantity and track the gold price, making them an accessible entry into pre-1933 gold. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.

1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design

Obverse

***************** (date)

coronet head l.

Reverse

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIVE D.

eagle, head l.

Measured 1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens

2 physically measured 1845 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.

Measured 1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
SpecimenWeightDiameterDie axisReferences
1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle #18.37 g22 mm-Friedberg.USA.138, Breen.6555
1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle #28.219 g21.5 mm-Friedberg.USA.140, Breen.6558

Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.

Summary: the 1845 Liberty Head Half Eagle is valued between $826 and $8,103 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.