1866 Two Cent Piece Value
Today a 1866 Two Cent Piece typically sells for $0.40 to $149, with condition doing most of the work, and its metal content alone is worth $0.06 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.
1866 Two Cent Piece value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $0.06 |
| Good (G-4) | $0.40 to $0.70 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $0.60 to $1.00 |
| Fine (F-12) | $0.95 to $1.60 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $1.75 to $2.95 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $3.60 to $6.10 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $7.20 to $12.00 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $14.50 to $24.50 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $30.50 to $51.50 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $88.00 to $149 |
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.
Current 1866 Two Cent Piece value
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1866 Two Cent Piece starts around $0.40. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $149. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1866 Two Cent Piece specifications
- Series
- Two Cent Piece
- Year
- 1866
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 3,177,000
- Composition
- 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc
- Weight
- 6.22 g
- Diameter
- 23 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- James Barton Longacre
Mintage figure: US Mint reports (approximate).
Why there is no letter on this coin
The 1866 Two Cent Piece 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 (None, all were struck at Philadelphia), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What makes the 1866 Two Cent Piece valuable
With 3,177,000 coined at Philadelphia, this date sits in the middle of the rarity scale. Value concentrates in the upper grades, where survivors thin out quickly.
Context adds the final layer to the 1866 Two Cent Piece. Introduced to ease the wartime coin shortage, it was genuinely useful for only a few years; mintages fell annually as nickels and restored small change crowded it out, ending with a proof-only issue in 1873. 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.
1866 Two Cent Piece inscriptions & design
Obverse
IN GOD / WE / TRUST [on ribbon] / (date)
Shield with ribbon and wreath
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 2 / CENTS
Value in wreath
Measured 1866 Two Cent Piece specimens
2 physically measured 1866 Two Cent Piece examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 6.22 g, 23 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1866 Two Cent Piece #1 | - | - | - | Breen.2389 |
| 1866 Two Cent Piece #2 | - | - | 6 h | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1866 Two Cent Piece is valued between $0.40 and $149 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.