1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value
A 1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle is worth roughly $826 to $8,103 depending on its condition, and its metal content alone is worth $810 as of 2026-06-01 The figures below break the range down grade by grade.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1856 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.
Today's value of the 1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1856 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.
1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications
- Series
- Liberty Head Half Eagle
- Year
- 1856
- 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
No mint mark? Here is why
Look for a letter and you will not find one. The 1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle is a Philadelphia product, and the main mint did not sign its work at this time. On branch-mint examples the mark sits on the reverse, below the eagle.
Why the 1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle is worth money
Pre-1933 gold carries two values at once: the 1856 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.
The 1856 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 1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle. 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. 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.
1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design
Obverse
***************** (date)
coronet head l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIVE D.
eagle, head l.
Measured 1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
1 physically measured 1856 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 Liberty Head Half Eagle #1 | 8.348 g | 21.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.138, Breen.6620 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1856 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.