1871 United States 1/2 Dollar Value
Today a 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar typically sells for $38.29 to $414, with condition doing most of the work, and its metal content alone is worth $38.29 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.
1871 United States 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $38.29 |
| Good (G-4) | $38.29 to $45.95 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $38.29 to $47.33 |
| Fine (F-12) | $38.29 to $49.62 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $38.29 to $52.84 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $42.31 to $59.73 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $52.08 to $73.52 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $71.60 to $101 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $114 to $161 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $293 to $414 |
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.
What is a 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar worth right now?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar starts around $38.29. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $414. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1871 United States 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1871
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 0.395 g
- Diameter
- 30 mm
- Gold content
- 0.01143 troy oz
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar 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.
Why the 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar is worth money
The gold inside a 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar, 0.0114 troy ounces, currently $38.29, is the foundation of the price. Numismatic value begins where the bullion math ends.
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
There is history in a 1871 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.
1871 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, motto on scroll above
Measured 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar specimens
10 physically measured 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 0.395 g, 30 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #1 | 0.357 g | - | - | Burnie.88, Breen-Gillio.1011 |
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #2 | 0.459 g | - | - | Burnie.54, Breen-Gillio.924 |
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #3 | 0.395 g | - | - | Burnie.54, Breen-Gillio.924 |
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #4 | 0.326 g | - | - | Burnie.88, Breen-Gillio.1011 |
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #5 | 0.338 g | - | - | Burnie.88, Breen-Gillio.1011 |
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #6 | 0.435 g | - | - | Burnie.not, Breen-Gillio.924 |
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #7 | 11.64 g | 30 mm | - | Breen.4956 |
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #8 | - | - | - | Burnie.50, Breen-Gillio.912 |
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #9 | - | - | - | Breen.4957 |
| 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar #10 | - | - | - | Breen.4962 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1871 United States 1/2 Dollar is valued between $38.29 and $414 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.