1856 United States Dollar Value
A 1856 United States Dollar is worth roughly $116 to $1,256 depending on its condition, and its metal content alone is worth $116 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 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $116.31 |
| Good (G-4) | $116 to $140 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $116 to $144 |
| Fine (F-12) | $116 to $151 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $116 to $161 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $129 to $181 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $158 to $223 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $218 to $307 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $346 to $489 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $890 to $1,256 |
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 Dollar selling for today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1856 United States Dollar starts around $116. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $1,256. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1856 United States Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1856
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 1.2 g
- Diameter
- 15 mm
- Gold content
- 0.03472 troy oz
The missing mint mark, explained
Philadelphia struck the 1856 United States 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.
Why the 1856 United States Dollar is worth money
Documented examples of the 1856 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.
With 0.0347 oz of fine gold inside ($116 of metal at today's prices), a 1856 United States Dollar can never trade below its bullion value, and rarer dates stack collector premiums on top.
There is history in a 1856 United States Coinage as well. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.
1856 United States Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
head of Liberty l. wearing bonnet
Reverse
1 / DOLLAR / 1856 in 3 lines
wreath of corn stalks, value within
Measured 1856 United States Dollar specimens
11 physically measured 1856 United States Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 1.2 g, 15 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 United States Dollar #1 | 1.672 g | 15 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.94, Breen.6047 |
| 1856 United States Dollar #2 | 1.675 g | 14.75 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.94, Breen.6046 |
| 1856 United States Dollar #3 | 1.681 g | 15 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.94, Breen.6046 |
| 1856 United States Dollar #4 | 1.669 g | 15 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.94, Breen.6047 |
| 1856 United States Dollar #5 | 1.661 g | 14.8 mm | 6 h | Breen.Encyclopedia.6047 |
| 1856 United States Dollar #6 | - | - | - | Osburn-Cushing.P1, Breen.5453 |
| 1856 United States Dollar #7 | 1.019 g | 15 mm | - | Breen.6048 ctft. |
| 1856 United States Dollar #8 | 0.857 g | 15 mm | - | Breen.6046 ctft. |
| 1856 United States Dollar #9 | 1.12 g | 15 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.94 (fake), Breen.6047 (fake) |
| 1856 United States Dollar #10 | 1.08 g | 15 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.94 (fake), Breen.6047 (fake) |
| 1856 United States Dollar #11 | 1.2 g | 15 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.94 (fake), Breen.6047 (fake) |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1856 United States Dollar is valued between $116 and $1,256 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.