1838 United States 25 Cent Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1838 United States 25 Cent brings anywhere from $7.07 to $76.36, and its metal content alone is worth $7.07 as of 2026-06-01 See the grade table below for exactly where your coin falls.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1838 United States 25 Cent value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $7.07 |
| Good (G-4) | $7.07 to $8.48 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $7.07 to $8.74 |
| Fine (F-12) | $7.07 to $9.16 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $7.07 to $9.76 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $7.81 to $11.03 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $9.62 to $13.57 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $13.22 to $18.66 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $21.03 to $29.69 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $54.09 to $76.36 |
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 1838 United States 25 Cent worth today?
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $7.07. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $76.36 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1838 United States 25 Cent can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1838 United States 25 Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1838
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 6.694 g
- Diameter
- 24 mm
- Silver content
- 0.19370 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
Philadelphia struck the 1838 United States 25 Cent, and Philadelphia coins of this period carry no mint mark at all. An empty space at the usual mint mark position (see the series guide) confirms a Philadelphia strike, not a flaw.
What makes the 1838 United States 25 Cent valuable
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1838 United States 25 Cent trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Every 1838 United States 25 Cent contains 0.1937 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $7.07. 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 1838 United States 25 Cent. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. 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.
1838 United States 25 Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* (date)
Liberty, capped bust l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 25 C /
eagle with shield, head l.
Measured 1838 United States 25 Cent specimens
2 physically measured 1838 United States 25 Cent examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 6.694 g, 24 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1838 United States 25 Cent #1 | 6.694 g | 24 mm | 6 h | Breen.3934, Browning.1, KM.55 |
| 1838 United States 25 Cent #2 | - | - | - | Browning.1838.1, Breen.3934 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1838 United States 25 Cent is valued between $7.07 and $76.36 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.