1856 United States 1/4 Dollar Value
Expect a 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar to trade between about $26.16 and $283, driven almost entirely by grade, and its metal content alone is worth $26.16 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.
1856 United States 1/4 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $26.16 |
| Good (G-4) | $26.16 to $31.40 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $26.16 to $32.34 |
| Fine (F-12) | $26.16 to $33.91 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $26.16 to $36.11 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $28.91 to $40.82 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $35.58 to $50.23 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $48.93 to $69.07 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $77.84 to $110 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $200 to $283 |
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 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar selling for today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar starts around $26.16. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $283. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1856 United States 1/4 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1856
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 0.27 g
- Diameter
- 9 mm
- Gold content
- 0.00781 troy oz
Why there is no letter on this coin
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (varies by series) is simply blank.
What makes the 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar valuable
The 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar lacks precise production records, so its value rests on demonstrated rarity: how often examples surface at auction and how they compare to documented specimens.
Each 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar holds 0.0078 troy ounces of gold, worth $26.16 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 1856 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.
1856 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 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar specimens
12 physically measured 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 0.27 g, 9 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #1 | 0.27 g | 10 mm | - | Burnie.35, Breen-Gillio.229, Breen.7851 |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #2 | 0.29 g | 10 mm | - | Burnie.16, Breen-Gillio.111, Breen.7830 |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #3 | 0.18 g | 9 mm | - | Burnie.15, Breen-Gillio.107, Breen.7826 |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #4 | 0.2 g | 9 mm | - | Burnie.15, Breen-Gillio.107, Breen.7826 |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #5 | 0.24 g | 9 mm | - | Burnie.15, Breen-Gillio.107, Breen.7826 |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #6 | 0.31 g | 10 mm | - | Burnie.16, Breen-Gillio.111, Breen.7830 |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #7 | - | - | - | - |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #8 | - | - | - | - |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #9 | - | - | - | - |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #10 | 0.22 g | 9 mm | - | Burnie.15, Breen-Gillio.107, Breen.7826 |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #11 | 4.67 g | - | - | - |
| 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar #12 | 5.782 g | 24 mm | - | Breen.4006, Brunk.26365 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1856 United States 1/4 Dollar is valued between $26.16 and $283 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.