1842 United States Coin Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1842 United States Coin brings anywhere from $1.42 to $15.32, and its metal content alone is worth $1.42 as of 2026-06-01 Where your coin lands depends on wear, strike and surface quality.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1842 United States Coin value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $1.42 |
| Good (G-4) | $1.42 to $1.70 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $1.42 to $1.75 |
| Fine (F-12) | $1.42 to $1.84 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $1.42 to $1.96 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $1.57 to $2.21 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1.93 to $2.72 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $2.65 to $3.74 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $4.22 to $5.96 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $10.85 to $15.32 |
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.
Current 1842 United States Coin value
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1842 United States Coin starts around $1.42. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $15.32. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1842 United States Coin specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1842
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 1.343 g
- Diameter
- 16 mm
- Silver content
- 0.03886 troy oz
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1842 United States Coin comes from Philadelphia, which struck coins without a mint mark. If the spot where branch-mint coins show a letter is empty on your 1842, that is exactly as it should be.
What makes the 1842 United States Coin valuable
The 1842 United States Coin lacks precise production records, so its value rests on demonstrated rarity: how often examples surface at auction and how they compare to documented specimens.
Every 1842 United States Coin contains 0.0389 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $1.42. 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 1842 United States Coin. 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.
1842 United States Coin inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY (on shield) / (date)
Liberty seated, with shield and liberty cap on pole, surrounded by 13 stars
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ONE / DIME
Laurel wreath
Measured 1842 United States Coin specimens
9 physically measured 1842 United States Coin examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 1.343 g, 16 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1842 United States Coin #1 | 1.343 g | 16 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1842 United States Coin #2 | - | - | - | - |
| 1842 United States Coin #3 | - | - | - | - |
| 1842 United States Coin #4 | - | - | - | Valentine.1842.1 |
| 1842 United States Coin #5 | - | - | - | Valentine.1842.1a |
| 1842 United States Coin #6 | - | - | - | Valentine.1842.x |
| 1842 United States Coin #7 | - | - | - | Valentine.1842.x |
| 1842 United States Coin #8 | - | - | - | - |
| 1842 United States Coin #9 | 2.04 g | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1842 United States Coin is valued between $1.42 and $15.32 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.