1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value

Depending on how well it survived, a 1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle brings anywhere from $826 to $8,103, 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.

1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle value by grade

1858 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.

Current 1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle value

In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1858 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.

1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications

Series
Liberty Head Half Eagle
Year
1858
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

No mint mark is the mark here: the 1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (On the reverse, below the eagle) is simply blank.

Why the 1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle is worth money

Without a firm mintage figure, the 1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.

The gold inside a 1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle, 0.2419 troy ounces, currently $810, is the foundation of the price. Numismatic value begins where the bullion math ends.

Context adds the final layer to the 1858 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.

1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design

Obverse

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

coronet head l.

Reverse

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIVE D.

eagle, head l.

Measured 1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens

1 physically measured 1858 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.

Measured 1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
SpecimenWeightDiameterDie axisReferences
1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle #18.363 g21.5 mm-Friedberg.USA.138, Breen.6634

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

Summary: the 1858 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.