1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle brings anywhere from $826 to $8,103, while the raw metal inside it is valued at $810 as of 2026-06-01 Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1852 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 2026-06-13. 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 1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle worth today?
Figure roughly $826 as the realistic floor for a damage-free, well-worn 1852 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.
1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications
- Series
- Liberty Head Half Eagle
- Year
- 1852
- 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
Philadelphia struck the 1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle, and Philadelphia coins of this period carry no mint mark at all. An empty space at the usual mint mark position (On the reverse, below the eagle) confirms a Philadelphia strike, not a flaw.
Why the 1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle is worth money
Documented examples of the 1852 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.
Each 1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle holds 0.2419 troy ounces of gold, worth $810 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
There is history in a 1852 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.
1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design
Obverse
***************** (date)
coronet head l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIVE D.
eagle, head l.
Measured 1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
2 physically measured 1852 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle #1 | 8.336 g | 21.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.138, Breen.6598 |
| 1852 Liberty Head Half Eagle #2 | 8.268 g | 21.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.140, Breen.6599 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1852 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.