1849 United States 1/2 Eagle Value
A 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle is worth roughly $667 to $7,206 depending on its condition, while the raw metal inside it is valued at $667 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.
1849 United States 1/2 Eagle value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $667.19 |
| Good (G-4) | $667 to $801 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $667 to $825 |
| Fine (F-12) | $667 to $865 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $667 to $921 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $737 to $1,041 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $907 to $1,281 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $1,248 to $1,761 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,985 to $2,802 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $5,104 to $7,206 |
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 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle worth today?
A 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle that spent decades in circulation is worth about $667 today. One that never circulated at all can bring up to $7,206. The honest answer for most inherited or pocket-found examples sits in the lower half of the table.
1849 United States 1/2 Eagle specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1849
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 6.883 g
- Diameter
- 22 mm
- Gold content
- 0.19916 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (check the usual position for this series), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What collectors pay for in a 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle
Documented examples of the 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle 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 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle holds 0.1992 troy ounces of gold, worth $667 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
Few series carry the following that supports the 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. A coin that thousands of collectors are actively assembling into sets never lacks for a market.
1849 United States 1/2 Eagle inscriptions & design
Obverse
CALIFORNIA GOLD / WITHOUT ALLOY
eagle l.
Reverse
N.G. & N. 1849 SAN FRANCISCO / FULL WEIGHT OF HALF EAGLE
legend and stars
Measured 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle specimens
3 physically measured 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 6.883 g, 22 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle #1 | 1.486 g | 18 mm | - | - |
| 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle #2 | 8.418 g | 22 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.60, Breen.7791 |
| 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle #3 | 6.883 g | 23 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.60 (fake), Breen.7792 (fake) |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1849 United States 1/2 Eagle is valued between $667 and $7,206 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.