1872 Two Cent Piece Value
A 1872 Two Cent Piece is worth roughly $44.00 to $7,425 depending on its condition. Its intrinsic melt value stands at $0.06 based on spot prices from 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1872 Two Cent Piece value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $0.06 |
| Good (G-4) | $44.00 to $74.50 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $64.00 to $108 |
| Fine (F-12) | $96.00 to $162 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $160 to $270 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $272 to $459 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $448 to $756 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $720 to $1,215 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,360 to $2,295 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $4,400 to $7,425 |
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 1872 Two Cent Piece worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1872 Two Cent Piece starts around $44.00. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $7,425. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1872 Two Cent Piece specifications
- Series
- Two Cent Piece
- Year
- 1872
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 65,000
- 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).
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1872 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 1872 Two Cent Piece valuable
With a mintage of just 65,000, the 1872 Two Cent Piece is one of the celebrated key dates of the Two Cent Piece series. Survivors are scarce in every grade, and demand from series collectors keeps prices firm year after year.
The series itself does some of the lifting for the 1872 Two Cent Piece: The two-cent piece of 1864 holds a permanent place in American history as the first coin to bear the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, adopted amid the religious fervor of the Civil War. Broad, multigenerational demand for the design gives every date, including this one, a deep and liquid market.
1872 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 1872 Two Cent Piece specimens
1 physically measured 1872 Two Cent Piece example 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 Two Cent Piece #1 | - | - | - | Breen.2407 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1872 Two Cent Piece is valued between $44.00 and $7,425 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.