1879 Trade Dollar Value
A 1879 Trade Dollar is worth roughly $29.50 to $287 depending on its condition, with a hard melt-value floor of $28.74 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.
1879 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.
How much is a 1879 Trade Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1879 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.
1879 Trade Dollar specifications
- Series
- Trade Dollar
- Year
- 1879
- 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
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1879 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 1879 Trade Dollar valuable
Documented examples of the 1879 Trade Dollar in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
The 90% silver composition gives a 1879 Trade Dollar 0.7874 oz of precious metal ($28.74 at current spot). Bullion demand alone supports the bottom of its price range.
Chopmarked pieces, once shunned, are now collected as artifacts of the China trade in their own right. For the 1879 Trade Dollar, the enduring popularity of the series translates directly into buyers in every grade and every market cycle.
1879 Trade Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
********** 1879
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 1879 Trade Dollar specimens
2 physically measured 1879 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1879 Trade Dollar #1 | 27.241 g | 38 mm | 6 h | Breen.5825 |
| 1879 Trade Dollar #2 | 27.212 g | 38 mm | 6 h | Breen.5825 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1879 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.