1838 United States 5 Dollar Value
A 1838 United States 5 Dollar is worth roughly $812 to $8,768 depending on its condition, and its metal content alone is worth $812 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.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 gold standard.
1838 United States 5 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $811.84 |
| Good (G-4) | $812 to $974 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $812 to $1,003 |
| Fine (F-12) | $812 to $1,052 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $812 to $1,120 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $897 to $1,266 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1,104 to $1,559 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $1,518 to $2,143 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $2,415 to $3,410 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $6,211 to $8,768 |
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 5 Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1838 United States 5 Dollar starts around $812. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $8,768. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1838 United States 5 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1838
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 8.375 g
- Diameter
- 22 mm
- Gold content
- 0.24234 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1838 United States 5 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 (check the usual position for this series), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What collectors pay for in a 1838 United States 5 Dollar
Each 1838 United States 5 Dollar holds 0.2423 troy ounces of gold, worth $812 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
Official mintage figures for the 1838 United States 5 Dollar are not well established. The museum-documented specimens behind our specifications provide the physical reference points for the issue, and the market prices it on observed scarcity.
The series itself does some of the lifting for the 1838 United States 5 Dollar: Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. Broad, multigenerational demand for the design gives every date, including this one, a deep and liquid market.
1838 United States 5 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
***************** (date)
classic head l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 5 D.
eagle, head l.
Measured 1838 United States 5 Dollar specimens
1 physically measured 1838 United States 5 Dollar example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 8.375 g, 22 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1838 United States 5 Dollar #1 | 8.375 g | 22 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.135, Breen.6515 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1838 United States 5 Dollar is valued between $812 and $8,768 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.