1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value

In the current market, a 1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle changes hands for roughly $826 at the low end and $8,103 at the top, and its metal content alone is worth $810 as of 2026-06-01 See the grade table below for exactly where your coin falls.

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

1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle value by grade

1864 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 1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle worth today?

In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1864 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.

1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications

Series
Liberty Head Half Eagle
Year
1864
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 there is no letter on this coin

The 1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle comes from Philadelphia, which struck coins without a mint mark. If the spot where branch-mint coins show a letter is empty on your 1864, that is exactly as it should be.

What makes the 1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle valuable

Documented examples of the 1864 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 1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle can never trade below its bullion value, and rarer dates stack collector premiums on top.

There is history in a 1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle as well. Christian Gobrecht's Liberty half eagle holds a unique distinction: it is the only U.S. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.

1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design

Obverse

************* 1864

bust l.

Reverse

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.FIVE D.

eagle, l.

Measured 1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens

1 physically measured 1864 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 1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
SpecimenWeightDiameterDie axisReferences
1864 Liberty Head Half Eagle #1---Friedberg.USA.138, Breen.6658

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

Summary: the 1864 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.