1842 United States Dollar Value
Expect a 1842 United States Dollar to trade between about $28.26 and $305, driven almost entirely by grade, and its metal content alone is worth $28.26 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 silver standard.
1842 United States Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $28.26 |
| Good (G-4) | $28.26 to $33.92 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $28.26 to $34.93 |
| Fine (F-12) | $28.26 to $36.63 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $28.26 to $39.00 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $31.23 to $44.09 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $38.44 to $54.27 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $52.85 to $74.62 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $84.08 to $119 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $216 to $305 |
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.
What is the 1842 United States Dollar selling for today?
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $28.26. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $305 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1842 United States Dollar can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1842 United States Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1842
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 26.761 g
- Diameter
- 37.79 mm
- Silver content
- 0.77435 troy oz
The missing mint mark, explained
Look for a letter and you will not find one. The 1842 United States Dollar is a Philadelphia product, and the main mint did not sign its work at this time.
Why the 1842 United States Dollar is worth money
Every 1842 United States Dollar contains 0.7743 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $28.26. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Documented examples of the 1842 United States 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.
Context adds the final layer to the 1842 United States 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.
1842 United States Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* / LIBERTY on shield / 1842
Liberty seated r., head l., holding cap (pilius) on a pole with one hand and resting the other on inscribed shield
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; ONE DOL.
eagle facing, head l.
Measured 1842 United States Dollar specimens
1 physically measured 1842 United States Dollar example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 26.761 g, 37.79 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1842 United States Dollar #1 | 26.761 g | 37.79 mm | - | Osburn-Cushing.2, Breen.5428 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1842 United States Dollar is valued between $28.26 and $305 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.