1853 United States Dollar Value
Expect a 1853 United States Dollar to trade between about $112 and $1,213, driven almost entirely by grade, and its metal content alone is worth $112 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 gold standard.
1853 United States Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $112.36 |
| Good (G-4) | $112 to $135 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $112 to $139 |
| Fine (F-12) | $112 to $146 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $112 to $155 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $124 to $175 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $153 to $216 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $210 to $297 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $334 to $472 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $860 to $1,213 |
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.
Today's value of the 1853 United States Dollar
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1853 United States Dollar starts around $112. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $1,213. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1853 United States Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1853
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 1.159 g
- Diameter
- 12.5 mm
- Gold content
- 0.03354 troy oz
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1853 United States Dollar comes from Philadelphia, which struck coins without a mint mark. If the spot where branch-mint coins show a letter is empty on your 1853, that is exactly as it should be.
What makes the 1853 United States Dollar valuable
Each 1853 United States Dollar holds 0.0335 troy ounces of gold, worth $112 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
Official mintage figures for the 1853 United States Dollar are not well established. The museum-documented specimens behind our specifications provide the physical reference points for the issue, and the market prices it on observed scarcity.
Context adds the final layer to the 1853 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.
1853 United States Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
*************
coronet head of Liberty l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 1 / DOLLAR/ 1853
laurel wreath, value within
Measured 1853 United States Dollar specimens
10 physically measured 1853 United States Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 1.159 g, 12.5 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1853 United States Dollar #1 | 1.159 g | - | - | Burnie.6, Breen-Gillio.515, Breen.7898 |
| 1853 United States Dollar #2 | 1.659 g | 12.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.87, Breen.6029 |
| 1853 United States Dollar #3 | 1.658 g | 12.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.84, Breen.6025 |
| 1853 United States Dollar #4 | 1.135 g | - | - | Burnie.4, Breen-Gillio.518, Breen.7900 |
| 1853 United States Dollar #5 | 1.065 g | - | - | Burnie.12, Breen-Gillio.531, Breen.7906 |
| 1853 United States Dollar #6 | 1.665 g | 13 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.84, Breen.6025 |
| 1853 United States Dollar #7 | 1.673 g | 12.5 mm | 6 h | Breen.6027 |
| 1853 United States Dollar #8 | - | - | - | Osburn-Cushing.1, Breen.5449 |
| 1853 United States Dollar #9 | - | - | - | Osburn-Cushing.P2, Breen.5449 |
| 1853 United States Dollar #10 | 0.862 g | 13 mm | 6 h | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1853 United States Dollar is valued between $112 and $1,213 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.