1868 United States 1/4 Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar brings anywhere from $18.42 to $199, and its metal content alone is worth $18.42 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 gold standard.
1868 United States 1/4 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $18.42 |
| Good (G-4) | $18.42 to $22.11 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $18.42 to $22.77 |
| Fine (F-12) | $18.42 to $23.88 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $18.42 to $25.43 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $20.36 to $28.74 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $25.06 to $35.38 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $34.45 to $48.64 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $54.81 to $77.38 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $141 to $199 |
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 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar starts around $18.42. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $199. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1868 United States 1/4 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1868
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 0.19 g
- Diameter
- 10 mm
- Gold content
- 0.00550 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
The 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar comes from Philadelphia, which struck coins without a mint mark. If the spot where branch-mint coins show a letter is empty on your 1868, that is exactly as it should be.
What makes the 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar valuable
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Pre-1933 gold carries two values at once: the 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar holds 0.0055 oz of metal ($18.42 today) plus the historical premium of a coin the Treasury once tried to recall entirely.
Context adds the final layer to the 1868 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.
1868 United States 1/4 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* (date)
Liberty seated
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; QUAR. DOL.
eagle, wings spread, shield on breast, motto on scroll above
Measured 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar specimens
5 physically measured 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 0.19 g, 10 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar #1 | 0.19 g | 9 mm | - | Burnie.43, Breen-Gillio.710 |
| 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar #2 | 0.27 g | 10 mm | - | Burnie.44, Breen-Gillio.746 |
| 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar #3 | 0.18 g | 10 mm | - | Burnie.62, Breen-Gillio.806 |
| 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar #4 | - | - | - | - |
| 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar #5 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1868 United States 1/4 Dollar is valued between $18.42 and $199 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.