1853 United States 1/4 Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar brings anywhere from $4.62 to $49.95, while the raw metal inside it is valued at $4.62 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 silver standard.
1853 United States 1/4 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $4.62 |
| Good (G-4) | $4.62 to $5.55 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $4.62 to $5.72 |
| Fine (F-12) | $4.62 to $5.99 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $4.62 to $6.38 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $5.11 to $7.21 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $6.29 to $8.88 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $8.65 to $12.21 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $13.76 to $19.42 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $35.38 to $49.95 |
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.
What is a 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar worth right now?
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $4.62. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $49.95 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1853 United States 1/4 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1853
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 4.379 g
- Diameter
- 24 mm
- Silver content
- 0.12671 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
Philadelphia struck the 1853 United States 1/4 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 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar valuable
Documented examples of the 1853 United States 1/4 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.
Every 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar contains 0.1267 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $4.62. 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 1853 United States 1/4 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.
1853 United States 1/4 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* (date)
Liberty seated
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; QUAR. DOL.
eagle, wings spread, shield on breast
Measured 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar specimens
9 physically measured 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.379 g, 24 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar #1 | - | - | - | - |
| 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar #2 | - | - | - | - |
| 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar #3 | - | - | - | - |
| 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar #4 | 5.89 g | - | - | - |
| 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar #5 | 4.94 g | 24 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar #6 | 4.009 g | 24 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar #7 | 4.379 g | 24 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar #8 | 5.035 g | 23.8 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar #9 | 4.337 g | 23.8 mm | 6 h | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1853 United States 1/4 Dollar is valued between $4.62 and $49.95 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.