1870 United States 50 Cent Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1870 United States 50 Cent brings anywhere from $11.50 to $124. Its intrinsic melt value stands at $11.50 based on spot prices from 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 50 Cent value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $11.50 |
| Good (G-4) | $11.50 to $13.80 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $11.50 to $14.22 |
| Fine (F-12) | $11.50 to $14.91 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $11.50 to $15.87 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $12.71 to $17.94 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $15.64 to $22.08 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $21.51 to $30.36 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $34.22 to $48.31 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $87.99 to $124 |
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 1870 United States 50 Cent worth right now?
Start with $11.50 for a heavily circulated 1870 United States 50 Cent and work upward. Lightly circulated 1870 examples occupy the middle of the range, while true gems approach $124. If your coin has no wear on the high points, it deserves a closer look or a professional opinion.
1870 United States 50 Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1870
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 10.89 g
- Diameter
- 29 mm
- Silver content
- 0.31511 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1870 United States 50 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.
The value drivers behind this coin
A 1870 United States 50 Cent is real bullion as well as a collectible: 0.3151 troy ounces of fine silver, or about $11.50 of metal value in every example, regardless of condition.
Documented examples of the 1870 United States 50 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.
There is history in a 1870 United States Coinage as well. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.
1870 United States 50 Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Liberty hd. r. wearing liberty cap with two stars inscribed LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST on ribbon below
Reverse
STANDARD 50 CENTS 1870
value within wreath
Measured 1870 United States 50 Cent specimens
6 physically measured 1870 United States 50 Cent examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 10.89 g, 29 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 United States 50 Cent #1 | 9.94 g | 29 mm | 6 h | Judd.939, Adams.Woodin.916, Pollock.1073 |
| 1870 United States 50 Cent #2 | 10.88 g | 29 mm | 6 h | Judd.939, Adams.Woodin.916, Pollock.1052 |
| 1870 United States 50 Cent #3 | 10.89 g | 29 mm | 6 h | Judd.951, Adams.Woodin.928, Pollock.1094 |
| 1870 United States 50 Cent #4 | 10.9 g | 29 mm | 6 h | Judd.957, Adams.Woodin.922, Pollock.1108 |
| 1870 United States 50 Cent #5 | 12.1 g | 30 mm | 6 h | Judd.927, Adams.Woodin.884, Pollock.1046 |
| 1870 United States 50 Cent #6 | 10.9 g | 29 mm | 6 h | Judd.982, Adams.Woodin.907, Pollock.1102 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1870 United States 50 Cent is valued between $11.50 and $124 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.