1857 United States 1/4 Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar brings anywhere from $4.61 to $49.79, and its metal content alone is worth $4.61 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 silver standard.
1857 United States 1/4 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $4.61 |
| Good (G-4) | $4.61 to $5.53 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $4.61 to $5.70 |
| Fine (F-12) | $4.61 to $5.97 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $4.61 to $6.36 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $5.09 to $7.19 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $6.27 to $8.85 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $8.62 to $12.17 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $13.71 to $19.36 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $35.27 to $49.79 |
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 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar starts around $4.61. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $49.79. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1857 United States 1/4 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1857
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 4.365 g
- Diameter
- 23.8 mm
- Silver content
- 0.12630 troy oz
The missing mint mark, explained
The 1857 United States 1/4 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.
Why the 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar is worth money
The 1857 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.
Every 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar contains 0.1263 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $4.61. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Context adds the final layer to the 1857 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.
1857 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 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar specimens
5 physically measured 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.365 g, 23.8 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar #1 | 0.2 g | 10 mm | - | - |
| 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar #2 | 6.2 g | 23.8 mm | 6 h | Breen.4011 |
| 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar #3 | - | - | - | - |
| 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar #4 | - | - | - | - |
| 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar #5 | 4.365 g | 24 mm | 6 h | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1857 United States 1/4 Dollar is valued between $4.61 and $49.79 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.