1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value
The 1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle carries a current retail range of about $826 to $8,103 across circulated and Mint State grades, 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.
1886 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 1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1886 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.
1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications
- Series
- Liberty Head Half Eagle
- Year
- 1886
- 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
Philadelphia struck the 1886 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 1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle valuable
For the 1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle, surviving examples tell the story that mint records do not. Museum-documented specimens define the issue for collectors.
Each 1886 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.
Context adds the final layer to the 1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle. Christian Gobrecht's Liberty half eagle holds a unique distinction: it is the only U.S. 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.
1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* 1886
bust l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.FIVE D..
eagle facing, head l., motto on scroll, above
Measured 1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
1 physically measured 1886 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 Liberty Head Half Eagle #1 | - | - | - | Friedberg.USA.143, Breen.6734 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1886 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.