1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
A 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is worth roughly $405 to $4,370 depending on its condition, and its metal content alone is worth $405 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.
1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $404.61 |
| Good (G-4) | $405 to $486 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $405 to $500 |
| Fine (F-12) | $405 to $524 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $405 to $558 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $447 to $631 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $550 to $777 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $757 to $1,068 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,204 to $1,699 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $3,095 to $4,370 |
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 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar worth right now?
Start with $405 for a heavily circulated 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar and work upward. Lightly circulated 1856 examples occupy the middle of the range, while true gems approach $4,370. If your coin has no wear on the high points, it deserves a closer look or a professional opinion.
1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1856
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 4.174 g
- Diameter
- 17.5 mm
- Gold content
- 0.12078 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (check the usual position for this series), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What collectors pay for in a 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar
Each 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar holds 0.1208 troy ounces of gold, worth $405 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
Documented examples of the 1856 United States 2 1/2 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.
Few series carry the following that supports the 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. A coin that thousands of collectors are actively assembling into sets never lacks for a market.
1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* (date)
coronet head of Liberty l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 2 1/2 D.
eagle facing, head l.
Measured 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
1 physically measured 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.174 g, 17.5 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.174 g | 17.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.114, Breen.6234 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1856 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $405 and $4,370 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.