1876 Trade Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1876 Trade Dollar brings anywhere from $29.50 to $287, and its metal content alone is worth $28.74 as of 2026-06-01 Where your coin lands depends on wear, strike and surface quality.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1876 Trade Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $28.74 |
| Good (G-4) | $29.50 to $39.00 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $29.50 to $40.00 |
| Fine (F-12) | $29.50 to $42.50 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $31.50 to $46.00 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $35.50 to $52.00 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $43.00 to $63.00 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $53.50 to $79.00 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $73.50 to $108 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $195 to $287 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. 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 Trade Dollar worth right now?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1876 Trade Dollar starts around $29.50. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $287. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1876 Trade Dollar specifications
- Series
- Trade Dollar
- Year
- 1876
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- 90% silver, 10% copper
- Weight
- 27.22 g
- Diameter
- 38.1 mm
- Edge
- Reeded
- Designer
- William Barber
- Silver content
- 0.78740 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
The 1876 Trade Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (On the reverse, below the eagle above the D in DOLLAR), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What makes the 1876 Trade Dollar valuable
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1876 Trade Dollar trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Every 1876 Trade Dollar contains 0.7874 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $28.74. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Context adds the final layer to the 1876 Trade Dollar. Millions crossed the Pacific, where merchants stamped them with 'chopmarks' attesting to their silver. 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.
1876 Trade Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
********** 1876
Liberty seated, laurel in r. hand, bunch of wheat behind
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/420 GRAINS. 900 FINE./TRADE DOLLAR
eagle head r., wings open, standing. on arrows and laurel sprig
Measured 1876 Trade Dollar specimens
3 physically measured 1876 Trade Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 27.22 g, 38.1 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876 Trade Dollar #1 | 27.218 g | 38 mm | 6 h | Breen.5799 |
| 1876 Trade Dollar #2 | 18.801 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1876 Trade Dollar #3 | 20.147 g | 38 mm | - | Breen.5802 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1876 Trade Dollar is valued between $29.50 and $287 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.