1859 United States 1/2 Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar brings anywhere from $9.44 to $102, and its metal content alone is worth $9.44 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 silver standard.
1859 United States 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $9.44 |
| Good (G-4) | $9.44 to $11.33 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $9.44 to $11.67 |
| Fine (F-12) | $9.44 to $12.24 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $9.44 to $13.03 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $10.43 to $14.73 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $12.84 to $18.13 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $17.66 to $24.93 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $28.09 to $39.66 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $72.23 to $102 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
Current 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar value
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $9.44. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $102 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1859 United States 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1859
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 8.94 g
- Diameter
- 30 mm
- Silver content
- 0.25868 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
Philadelphia struck the 1859 United States 1/2 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 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar is worth money
Official mintage figures for the 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar are not well established. The museum-documented specimens behind our specifications provide the physical reference points for the issue, and the market prices it on observed scarcity.
Every 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar contains 0.2587 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $9.44. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
There is history in a 1859 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.
1859 United States 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* 1859
Liberty std. l. with shield and facses
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HALF DOLLAR
eagle stg.l. with shield and ribbon
Measured 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar specimens
12 physically measured 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 8.94 g, 30 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #1 | 12.42 g | 30 mm | - | Judd.237, Adams.Woodin.293, Pollock.293 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #2 | 12.43 g | 30 mm | - | Judd.239, Adams.Woodin.295, Pollock.295 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #3 | 0.398 g | - | - | Burnie.58, Breen-Gillio.1002 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #4 | 11.1 g | 31 mm | - | Judd.236, Adams.Woodin.292, Pollock.283 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #5 | 8.51 g | 31 mm | - | Judd.235, Adams.Woodin.291a, Pollock.285 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #6 | 8.94 g | 31 mm | - | Judd.249, Adams.Woodin.286a, Pollock.296 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #7 | 8.72 g | 30 mm | - | Judd.237, Adams.Woodin.293, Pollock.294 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #8 | 8.67 g | 30 mm | - | Judd.239, Adams.Woodin.295a, Pollock.295 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #9 | 8.13 g | 30 mm | - | Judd.245, Adams.Woodin.299a, Pollock.304 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #10 | - | 31 mm | - | Judd.235, Adams.Woodin.291, Pollock.284 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #11 | - | - | - | Breen.4888 |
| 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar #12 | - | - | - | Breen.4890 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1859 United States 1/2 Dollar is valued between $9.44 and $102 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.