1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar brings anywhere from $405 to $4,374, with a hard melt-value floor of $405 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.
1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $404.98 |
| Good (G-4) | $405 to $486 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $405 to $501 |
| Fine (F-12) | $405 to $525 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $405 to $559 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $448 to $632 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $551 to $778 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $757 to $1,069 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,205 to $1,701 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $3,098 to $4,374 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-13. 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 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar worth today?
A 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar that spent decades in circulation is worth about $405 today. One that never circulated at all can bring up to $4,374. The honest answer for most inherited or pocket-found examples sits in the lower half of the table.
1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1840
- Mint mark
- D
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 4.178 g
- Diameter
- 17.94 mm
- Gold content
- 0.12089 troy oz
Identifying the Dahlonega mint mark
Dahlonega's "D" is the letter that defines the 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar. On heavily circulated coins the mark wears down with everything else, so check carefully before assuming a Philadelphia strike.
What collectors pay for in a 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar
Documented examples of the 1840-D United States 2 1/2 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.
Each 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar holds 0.1209 troy ounces of gold, worth $405 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
There is history in a 1840 United States Coinage as well. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.
1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY / 1840
Liberty bust left surrounded by 13 stars
Reverse
• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA • / 2 1/2 D. / D
Heraldic eagle
Measured 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
1 physically measured 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.178 g, 17.94 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.178 g | 17.94 mm | 6 h | Friedberg.USA.117, Breen.6156 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1840-D United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $405 and $4,374 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.