1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value

A 1876 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 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.

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

1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle value by grade

1876 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 a 1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle worth right now?

In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1876 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.

1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications

Series
Liberty Head Half Eagle
Year
1876
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

Philadelphia struck the 1876 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.

What makes the 1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle valuable

Official mintage figures for the 1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle are not well established. The museum-documented specimens behind our specifications provide the physical reference points for the issue, and the market prices it on observed scarcity.

At 0.2419 troy ounces of gold, $810 at spot, the intrinsic value of a 1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle is substantial, and every move in the gold market flows straight into its price.

There is history in a 1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle as well. coin struck at all seven historic mints, including the short-lived Southern gold mints at Charlotte and Dahlonega. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.

1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design

Obverse

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

coronet head l.

Reverse

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIVE D.

eagle, head l., motto above

Measured 1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens

3 physically measured 1876 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 1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
SpecimenWeightDiameterDie axisReferences
1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle #18.348 g21 mm6 hFriedberg.USA.146, Breen.6697
1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle #28.345 g21 mm-Friedberg.USA.143, Breen.6695
1876 Liberty Head Half Eagle #3---Friedberg.USA.143, Breen.6695

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

Summary: the 1876 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.