1855 United States 50 Dollar Value
The 1855 United States 50 Dollar carries a current retail range of about $2,272 to $24,536 across circulated and Mint State grades; the melt floor under every example is $2,272 (spot prices 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.
1855 United States 50 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $2,271.84 |
| Good (G-4) | $2,272 to $2,726 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $2,272 to $2,808 |
| Fine (F-12) | $2,272 to $2,944 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $2,272 to $3,135 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $2,510 to $3,544 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $3,090 to $4,362 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $4,248 to $5,998 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $6,759 to $9,542 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $17,380 to $24,536 |
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 1855 United States 50 Dollar
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1855 United States 50 Dollar starts around $2,272. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $24,536. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1855 United States 50 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1855
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 23.437 g
- Diameter
- 42 mm
- Gold content
- 0.67816 troy oz
Why there is no letter on this coin
Philadelphia struck the 1855 United States 50 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 1855 United States 50 Dollar valuable
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1855 United States 50 Dollar trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Each 1855 United States 50 Dollar holds 0.6782 troy ounces of gold, worth $2,272 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
Context adds the final layer to the 1855 United States 50 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.
1855 United States 50 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* 1855
Liberty head l.
Reverse
SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA; WASS MOLITOR & CO.; 50 DOLLARS; 900 THOUS.
wreath around value, fineness on scroll
Measured 1855 United States 50 Dollar specimens
5 physically measured 1855 United States 50 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 23.437 g, 42 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 United States 50 Dollar #1 | - | 43 mm | - | Breen.7930, Friedberg.USA.83 |
| 1855 United States 50 Dollar #2 | - | 43 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.83, Breen.7930 |
| 1855 United States 50 Dollar #3 | - | 41 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1855 United States 50 Dollar #4 | 23.437 g | 41 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.38.reproduction, Breen.7921 (fake) |
| 1855 United States 50 Dollar #5 | 30.51 g | 42 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.83 (fake), Breen.7930 (fake) |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1855 United States 50 Dollar is valued between $2,272 and $24,536 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.