1855 United States Dollar Value
In the current market, a 1855 United States Dollar changes hands for roughly $160 at the low end and $1,725 at the top, and its metal content alone is worth $160 as of 2026-06-01 See the grade table below for exactly where your coin falls.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 gold standard.
1855 United States Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $159.76 |
| Good (G-4) | $160 to $192 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $160 to $197 |
| Fine (F-12) | $160 to $207 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $160 to $220 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $177 to $249 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $217 to $307 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $299 to $422 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $475 to $671 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $1,222 to $1,725 |
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 the 1855 United States Dollar selling for today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1855 United States Dollar starts around $160. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $1,725. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1855 United States Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1855
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 1.648 g
- Diameter
- 15 mm
- Gold content
- 0.04769 troy oz
Why there is no letter on this coin
The 1855 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 1855, that is exactly as it should be.
What makes the 1855 United States Dollar valuable
Documented examples of the 1855 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.
At 0.0477 troy ounces of gold, $160 at spot, the intrinsic value of a 1855 United States Dollar is substantial, and every move in the gold market flows straight into its price.
Context adds the final layer to the 1855 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.
1855 United States Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
head of Liberty l. wearing bonnet
Reverse
1 / DOLLAR / 1855 in 3 lines
wreath of corn stalks, value within
Measured 1855 United States Dollar specimens
12 physically measured 1855 United States Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 1.648 g, 15 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 United States Dollar #1 | 0.884 g | - | - | Burnie.27, Breen-Gillio.533, Breen.7908 |
| 1855 United States Dollar #2 | 1.67 g | 15 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.89, Breen.6039 |
| 1855 United States Dollar #3 | 1.662 g | 15 mm | - | Breen.6043, Friedberg.USA.92 |
| 1855 United States Dollar #4 | 0.864 g | - | - | Burnie.27, Breen-Gillio.533, Breen.7908 |
| 1855 United States Dollar #5 | 0.757 g | - | - | Burnie.not, Breen-Gillio.533, Breen.7908 |
| 1855 United States Dollar #6 | 1.648 g | 15 mm | 6 h | Breen.6039 (fake) |
| 1855 United States Dollar #7 | 1.674 g | 15 mm | 6 h | KM.US.p.1086 |
| 1855 United States Dollar #8 | 1.657 g | 15 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.89, Breen.6040 |
| 1855 United States Dollar #9 | 0.986 g | 13.4 mm | 6 h | Breen.6000 (fake) |
| 1855 United States Dollar #10 | 1.672 g | 15 mm | 6 h | Breen.6039 (fake) |
| 1855 United States Dollar #11 | 1.08 g | 15.2 mm | 6 h | Breen.6039 (fake) |
| 1855 United States Dollar #12 | - | 160 mm | - | Haxby.WI-500.G2d |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1855 United States Dollar is valued between $160 and $1,725 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.