1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
A 1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is worth roughly $241 to $2,607 depending on its condition. Its intrinsic melt value stands at $241 based on spot prices from 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.
1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $241.37 |
| Good (G-4) | $241 to $290 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $241 to $298 |
| Fine (F-12) | $241 to $313 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $241 to $333 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $267 to $377 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $328 to $463 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $451 to $637 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $718 to $1,014 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $1,846 to $2,607 |
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 2 1/2 Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar starts around $241. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $2,607. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1857
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 2.49 g
- Diameter
- 13 mm
- Gold content
- 0.07205 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1857 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.
Where this coin's value comes from
Each 1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar holds 0.0721 troy ounces of gold, worth $241 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
Documented examples of the 1857 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.
Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. For the 1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar, the enduring popularity of the series translates directly into buyers in every grade and every market cycle.
1857 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 1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
2 physically measured 1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 2.49 g, 13 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.185 g | 17.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.114, Breen.6239 |
| 1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #2 | 2.49 g | 13 mm | - | Judd.189, Adams.Woodin.219, Pollock.226 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1857 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $241 and $2,607 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.