1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
A 1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar is worth roughly $398 to $4,301 depending on its condition, with a hard melt-value floor of $398 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.
1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $398.21 |
| Good (G-4) | $398 to $478 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $398 to $492 |
| Fine (F-12) | $398 to $516 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $398 to $550 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $440 to $621 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $542 to $765 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $745 to $1,051 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,185 to $1,673 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $3,046 to $4,301 |
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 1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar starts around $398. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $4,301. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1842
- Mint mark
- C
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 4.108 g
- Diameter
- 18.13 mm
- Gold content
- 0.11887 troy oz
How to find the C mint mark
Flip your 1842 United States Coinage over and locate the "C". That single letter separates the Charlotte issue from its siblings and can move the price substantially.
The value drivers behind this coin
Documented examples of the 1842-C 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 1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar holds 0.1189 troy ounces of gold, worth $398 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
The series itself does some of the lifting for the 1842-C United States 2 1/2 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.
1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY / 1842
Liberty bust left surrounded by 13 stars
Reverse
• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA • / 2 1/2 D. / C
Heraldic eagle
Measured 1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
1 physically measured 1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.108 g, 18.13 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.108 g | 18.13 mm | 6 h | Friedberg.USA.116, Breen.6163 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1842-C United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $398 and $4,301 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.