1866 United States 1/2 Dollar Value
A 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar is worth roughly $0.37 to $3.97 depending on its condition, and its metal content alone is worth $0.37 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.
1866 United States 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $0.37 |
| Good (G-4) | $0.37 to $0.44 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $0.37 to $0.45 |
| Fine (F-12) | $0.37 to $0.48 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $0.37 to $0.51 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $0.41 to $0.57 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $0.50 to $0.71 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $0.69 to $0.97 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1.09 to $1.54 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $2.81 to $3.97 |
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 a 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar worth right now?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar starts around $0.37. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $3.97. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1866 United States 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1866
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 0.348 g
- Diameter
- 30.8 mm
- Silver content
- 0.01007 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
Look for a letter and you will not find one. The 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar is a Philadelphia product, and the main mint did not sign its work at this time.
What makes the 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar valuable
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Every 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar contains 0.0101 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $0.37. 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 1866 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.
1866 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 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar specimens
7 physically measured 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 0.348 g, 30.8 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar #1 | 0.348 g | - | - | Breen-Gillio.903, L.13A |
| 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar #2 | - | - | - | Breen.4935altered |
| 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar #3 | - | - | - | - |
| 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar #4 | - | - | - | Breen.4935 |
| 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar #5 | - | - | - | Breen.4935 |
| 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar #6 | - | - | - | Breen.4935 |
| 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar #7 | 12.322 g | 30.8 mm | 6 h | Breen.4935 (fake) |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1866 United States 1/2 Dollar is valued between $0.37 and $3.97 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.