1898 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value
A 1898 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.
1898 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 1898 Liberty Head Half Eagle
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1898 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.
1898 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications
- Series
- Liberty Head Half Eagle
- Year
- 1898
- 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
Reading a coin with no mint mark
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1898 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.
What makes the 1898 Liberty Head Half Eagle valuable
Official mintage figures for the 1898 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.
With 0.2419 oz of fine gold inside ($810 of metal at today's prices), a 1898 Liberty Head Half Eagle can never trade below its bullion value, and rarer dates stack collector premiums on top.
There is history in a 1898 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.
1898 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* 1898
bust l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.FIVE D..
eagle facing, head l., motto on scroll, above
Measured 1898 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
2 physically measured 1898 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.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 Liberty Head Half Eagle #1 | - | - | - | Friedberg.USA.143, Breen.6765 |
| 1898 Liberty Head Half Eagle #2 | - | - | - | Friedberg.USA.143, Breen.6765 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1898 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.