1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
Expect a 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar to trade between about $399 and $4,306, driven almost entirely by grade, and its metal content alone is worth $399 as of 2026-06-01 The figures below break the range down grade by grade.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 gold standard.
1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $398.68 |
| Good (G-4) | $399 to $478 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $399 to $493 |
| Fine (F-12) | $399 to $517 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $399 to $550 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $441 to $622 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $542 to $765 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $746 to $1,053 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,186 to $1,674 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $3,050 to $4,306 |
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.
Today's value of the 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar starts around $399. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $4,306. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1840
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 4.113 g
- Diameter
- 18 mm
- Gold content
- 0.11901 troy oz
No mint mark? Here is why
Philadelphia struck the 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar, 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 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar valuable
For the 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar, surviving examples tell the story that mint records do not. Museum-documented specimens define the issue for collectors.
Each 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar holds 0.1190 troy ounces of gold, worth $399 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
Context adds the final layer to the 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar. 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.
1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* (date)
coronet head of Liberty l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 2 1/2 D.
eagle facing, head l.
Measured 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
2 physically measured 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.113 g, 18 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.113 g | 18 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.114, Breen.6154 |
| 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #2 | 4.156 g | 18 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.118, Breen.6158 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1840 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $399 and $4,306 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.