1872 United States Coin Value
The 1872 United States Coin carries a current retail range of about $1.32 to $14.26 across circulated and Mint State grades, and its metal content alone is worth $1.32 as of 2026-06-01 Where your coin lands depends on wear, strike and surface quality.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1872 United States Coin value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $1.32 |
| Good (G-4) | $1.32 to $1.58 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $1.32 to $1.63 |
| Fine (F-12) | $1.32 to $1.71 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $1.32 to $1.82 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $1.46 to $2.06 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1.80 to $2.53 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $2.47 to $3.49 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $3.93 to $5.54 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $10.10 to $14.26 |
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 1872 United States Coin worth right now?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1872 United States Coin starts around $1.32. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $14.26. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1872 United States Coin specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1872
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 1.25 g
- Diameter
- 16 mm
- Silver content
- 0.03617 troy oz
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1872 United States Coin 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.
What makes the 1872 United States Coin valuable
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1872 United States Coin trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Every 1872 United States Coin contains 0.0362 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $1.32. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Context adds the final layer to the 1872 United States Coin. 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.
1872 United States Coin inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / LIBERTY (on shield) / (date)
Liberty seated, with shield and liberty cap on pole
Reverse
ONE / DIME
Cereal wreath
Measured 1872 United States Coin specimens
8 physically measured 1872 United States Coin examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 1.25 g, 16 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 United States Coin #1 | 1.212 g | 16 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1872 United States Coin #2 | 1.25 g | 16 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1872 United States Coin #3 | - | - | - | - |
| 1872 United States Coin #4 | - | - | - | Valentine.1872.2 |
| 1872 United States Coin #5 | - | - | - | Valentine.1872.x |
| 1872 United States Coin #6 | - | - | - | Valentine.1872.x |
| 1872 United States Coin #7 | 2.238 g | - | 12 h | - |
| 1872 United States Coin #8 | 2.449 g | - | 12 h | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1872 United States Coin is valued between $1.32 and $14.26 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.