1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value

Depending on how well it survived, a 1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle brings anywhere from $826 to $8,103, 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.

1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle value by grade

1847 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.

What is the 1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle selling for today?

In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1847 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.

1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications

Series
Liberty Head Half Eagle
Year
1847
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

The missing mint mark, explained

The 1847 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 1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle valuable

For the 1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle, surviving examples tell the story that mint records do not. Museum-documented specimens define the issue for collectors.

At 0.2419 troy ounces of gold, $810 at spot, the intrinsic value of a 1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle is substantial, and every move in the gold market flows straight into its price.

Context adds the final layer to the 1847 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.

1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design

Obverse

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

coronet head l.

Reverse

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIVE D.

eagle, head l.

Measured 1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens

3 physically measured 1847 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 1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
SpecimenWeightDiameterDie axisReferences
1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle #18.352 g21.5 mm-Friedberg.USA.138, Breen.6567
1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle #28.377 g21.5 mm-Friedberg.USA.138, Breen.6567
1847 Liberty Head Half Eagle #35.27 g21 mm-Friedberg.USA.138ctft, Breen.6567ctft

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

Summary: the 1847 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.