1876 United States 1/2 Dollar Value
Expect a 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar to trade between about $9.67 and $104, driven almost entirely by grade, and its metal content alone is worth $9.67 as of 2026-06-01 Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1876 United States 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $9.67 |
| Good (G-4) | $9.67 to $11.61 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $9.67 to $11.96 |
| Fine (F-12) | $9.67 to $12.54 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $9.67 to $13.35 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $10.69 to $15.09 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $13.16 to $18.57 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $18.09 to $25.54 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $28.78 to $40.63 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $74.01 to $104 |
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.
Today's value of the 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar starts around $9.67. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $104. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1876 United States 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1876
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 9.16 g
- Diameter
- 30 mm
- Silver content
- 0.26505 troy oz
No mint mark? Here is why
Philadelphia struck the 1876 United States 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 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar valuable
Official mintage figures for the 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar are not well established. The museum-documented specimens behind our specifications provide the physical reference points for the issue, and the market prices it on observed scarcity.
Every 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar contains 0.2651 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $9.67. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
There is history in a 1876 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.
1876 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 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar specimens
11 physically measured 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 9.16 g, 30 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #1 | 0.231 g | - | - | Burnie.87, Breen-Gillio.951 |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #2 | 0.179 g | - | - | Burnie.86, Breen-Gillio.932 |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #3 | 11.84 g | 30.5 mm | - | Breen.4997ctft |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #4 | - | - | - | Breen.4997 |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #5 | - | - | - | Breen.5003 |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #6 | - | - | - | Breen.5000 |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #7 | 8.901 g | 31 mm | - | Breen.4999.t |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #8 | 9.765 g | 30 mm | - | - |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #9 | 9.16 g | 30 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #10 | 9.709 g | 30 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar #11 | - | 30 mm | - | Breen.4997ctft |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1876 United States 1/2 Dollar is valued between $9.67 and $104 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.