1856 United States Coin Value
A 1856 United States Coin is worth roughly $1.33 to $14.31 depending on its condition; the melt floor under every example is $1.33 (spot prices as of 2026-06-01) Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1856 United States Coin value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $1.33 |
| Good (G-4) | $1.33 to $1.59 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $1.33 to $1.64 |
| Fine (F-12) | $1.33 to $1.72 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $1.33 to $1.83 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $1.46 to $2.07 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1.80 to $2.54 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $2.48 to $3.50 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $3.94 to $5.57 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $10.14 to $14.31 |
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.
How much is a 1856 United States Coin worth today?
Figure roughly $1.33 as the realistic floor for a damage-free, well-worn 1856 United States Coin, rising steadily through the grades to about $14.31 for a certified gem. Cleaned or damaged coins trade below these figures, though never below the $1.33 melt floor.
1856 United States Coin specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1856
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 1.255 g
- Diameter
- 16 mm
- Silver content
- 0.03631 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1856 United States Coin 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.
The value drivers behind this coin
Documented examples of the 1856 United States Coin in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
Silver content matters for the 1856 United States Coin: 0.0363 oz per coin, valued at $1.33 right now. The melt floor moves daily with the metals market and sets the minimum any dealer will pay.
Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. For the 1856 United States Coin, the enduring popularity of the series translates directly into buyers in every grade and every market cycle.
1856 United States Coin inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY (on shield) / (date)
Liberty seated, with shield and liberty cap on pole, surrounded by 13 stars
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / HALF / DIME
Laurel wreath
Measured 1856 United States Coin specimens
12 physically measured 1856 United States Coin examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 1.255 g, 16 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 United States Coin #1 | 1.255 g | 15 mm | - | - |
| 1856 United States Coin #2 | 0.51 g | - | - | - |
| 1856 United States Coin #3 | 2.495 g | 19 mm | 12 h | A.4 |
| 1856 United States Coin #4 | 1.232 g | 16 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1856 United States Coin #5 | - | - | - | Valentine.1856.7 |
| 1856 United States Coin #6 | - | - | - | - |
| 1856 United States Coin #7 | - | - | - | - |
| 1856 United States Coin #8 | - | - | - | - |
| 1856 United States Coin #9 | - | - | - | Valentine.1856.1 |
| 1856 United States Coin #10 | - | - | - | Valentine.1856.1 |
| 1856 United States Coin #11 | - | - | - | Valentine.1856.3 |
| 1856 United States Coin #12 | - | - | - | Valentine.1856.x |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1856 United States Coin is valued between $1.33 and $14.31 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.