1870 United States 10 Cent Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1870 United States 10 Cent brings anywhere from $2.31 to $24.98, and its metal content alone is worth $2.31 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.
1870 United States 10 Cent value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $2.31 |
| Good (G-4) | $2.31 to $2.78 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $2.31 to $2.86 |
| Fine (F-12) | $2.31 to $3.00 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $2.31 to $3.19 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $2.56 to $3.61 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $3.15 to $4.44 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $4.33 to $6.11 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $6.88 to $9.71 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $17.69 to $24.98 |
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.
How much is a 1870 United States 10 Cent worth today?
A 1870 United States 10 Cent that spent decades in circulation is worth about $2.31 today. One that never circulated at all can bring up to $24.98. The honest answer for most inherited or pocket-found examples sits in the lower half of the table.
1870 United States 10 Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1870
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 2.19 g
- Diameter
- 16 mm
- Silver content
- 0.06337 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1870 United States 10 Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (check the usual position for this series), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
Where this coin's value comes from
Documented examples of the 1870 United States 10 Cent in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
Silver content matters for the 1870 United States 10 Cent: 0.0634 oz per coin, valued at $2.31 right now. The melt floor moves daily with the metals market and sets the minimum any dealer will pay.
The series itself does some of the lifting for the 1870 United States 10 Cent: Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. Broad, multigenerational demand for the design gives every date, including this one, a deep and liquid market.
1870 United States 10 Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Liberty hd.r. wearing Liberty cap decorated with three stars; IN GOD WE TRUST on scroll below
Reverse
STANDARD 10 CENTS 1870
value within wreath
Measured 1870 United States 10 Cent specimens
5 physically measured 1870 United States 10 Cent examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 2.19 g, 16 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 United States 10 Cent #1 | 2.19 g | 16 mm | 6 h | Judd.837, Adams.Woodin.1006, Pollock.928 |
| 1870 United States 10 Cent #2 | 2.2 g | 16 mm | 6 h | Judd.843, Adams.Woodin.1018, Pollock.942 |
| 1870 United States 10 Cent #3 | 2.2 g | 16 mm | 6 h | Judd.849, Adams.Woodin.1012, Pollock.956 |
| 1870 United States 10 Cent #4 | 2.19 g | 16 mm | 6 h | Judd.838, Adams.Woodin.1005, Pollock.929 |
| 1870 United States 10 Cent #5 | 2.19 g | 16 mm | 6 h | Judd.849, Adams.Woodin.1012, Pollock.956 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1870 United States 10 Cent is valued between $2.31 and $24.98 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.