1863 United States 1/2 Dollar Value
The 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar carries a current retail range of about $11.79 to $127 across circulated and Mint State grades; the melt floor under every example is $11.79 (spot prices 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.
1863 United States 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $11.79 |
| Good (G-4) | $11.79 to $14.14 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $11.79 to $14.57 |
| Fine (F-12) | $11.79 to $15.28 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $11.79 to $16.27 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $13.02 to $18.39 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $16.03 to $22.63 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $22.04 to $31.12 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $35.07 to $49.50 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $90.17 to $127 |
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.
Today's value of the 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar starts around $11.79. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $127. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1863 United States 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1863
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 11.16 g
- Diameter
- 30 mm
- Silver content
- 0.32292 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (varies by series) is simply blank.
What makes the 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar valuable
For the 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar, surviving examples tell the story that mint records do not. Museum-documented specimens define the issue for collectors.
Every 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar contains 0.3229 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $11.79. 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 1863 United States 1/2 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.
1863 United States 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* (date)
Liberty seated
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; HALF DOL.
eagle, shield on breast, holding branch and arrows
Measured 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar specimens
4 physically measured 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 11.16 g, 30 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar #1 | 11.16 g | 30 mm | - | Judd.341, Adams.Woodin.377, Pollock.411 |
| 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar #2 | - | - | - | Breen.4913 |
| 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar #3 | - | - | - | Breen.4915 |
| 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar #4 | - | 31 mm | - | Judd.339, Adams.Woodin.375, Pollock.411 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1863 United States 1/2 Dollar is valued between $11.79 and $127 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.