1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle Value

A 1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle is worth roughly $826 to $8,103 depending on its condition; the melt floor under every example is $810 (spot prices 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.

1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle value by grade

1908 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 1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle value

In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1908 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.

1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle specifications

Series
Liberty Head Half Eagle
Year
1908
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

Look for a letter and you will not find one. The 1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle is a Philadelphia product, and the main mint did not sign its work at this time. On branch-mint examples the mark sits on the reverse, below the eagle.

Why the 1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle is worth money

Without a firm mintage figure, the 1908 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 1908 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 1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle. Common Philadelphia and San Francisco dates of the 1880s-1900s survive in quantity and track the gold price, making them an accessible entry into pre-1933 gold. 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.

1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle inscriptions & design

Obverse

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

Indian head l., bonnet

Reverse

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIVE DOLLARS

eagle l., standing on fasces, motto r., E Pluribus Unum l.

Measured 1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens

6 physically measured 1908 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 1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle specimens
SpecimenWeightDiameterDie axisReferences
1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle #18.359 g21 mm-Friedberg.USA.143, Breen.6801
1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle #28.359 g22 mm-Breen.6802
1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle #3---Friedberg.USA.148
1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle #4---Friedberg.USA.148, Breen.6802
1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle #5---Friedberg.USA.151, Breen. 6804
1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle #68.329 g22 mm6 hFriedberg.USA.151, Breen.6804 (fake)

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

Summary: the 1908 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.