1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
The 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar carries a current retail range of about $405 to $4,375 across circulated and Mint State grades, and its metal content alone is worth $405 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 gold standard.
1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $405.08 |
| Good (G-4) | $405 to $486 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $405 to $501 |
| Fine (F-12) | $405 to $525 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $405 to $559 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $448 to $632 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $551 to $778 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $758 to $1,069 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,205 to $1,701 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $3,099 to $4,375 |
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.
Current 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar starts around $405. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $4,375. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1868
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 4.179 g
- Diameter
- 17.5 mm
- Gold content
- 0.12092 troy oz
Why there is no letter on this coin
Philadelphia struck the 1868 United States 2 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.
What makes the 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar valuable
The 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar lacks precise production records, so its value rests on demonstrated rarity: how often examples surface at auction and how they compare to documented specimens.
Pre-1933 gold carries two values at once: the 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar holds 0.1209 oz of metal ($405 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 2 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.
1868 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 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
1 physically measured 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.179 g, 17.5 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.179 g | 17.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.114, Breen.6273 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1868 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $405 and $4,375 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.