1878 United States 1/4 Dollar Value
A 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar is worth roughly $4.77 to $51.49 depending on its condition. Its intrinsic melt value stands at $4.77 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.
1878 United States 1/4 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $4.77 |
| Good (G-4) | $4.77 to $5.72 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $4.77 to $5.89 |
| Fine (F-12) | $4.77 to $6.18 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $4.77 to $6.58 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $5.27 to $7.44 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $6.48 to $9.15 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $8.92 to $12.59 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $14.18 to $20.02 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $36.47 to $51.49 |
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 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar worth today?
Start with $4.77 for a heavily circulated 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar and work upward. Lightly circulated 1878 examples occupy the middle of the range, while true gems approach $51.49. If your coin has no wear on the high points, it deserves a closer look or a professional opinion.
1878 United States 1/4 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1878
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 4.514 g
- Diameter
- 24 mm
- Silver content
- 0.13062 troy oz
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1878 United States 1/4 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 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar is worth money
The 90% silver composition gives a 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar 0.1306 oz of precious metal ($4.77 at current spot). Bullion demand alone supports the bottom of its price range.
Official mintage figures for the 1878 United States 1/4 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.
There is history in a 1878 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.
1878 United States 1/4 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* (date)
Liberty seated
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; QUAR. DOL.
eagle, wings spread, shield on breast, motto on scroll above
Measured 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar specimens
4 physically measured 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.514 g, 24 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar #1 | - | - | - | - |
| 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar #2 | - | - | - | - |
| 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar #3 | 4.514 g | 24 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar #4 | 5.537 g | 24 mm | 6 h | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1878 United States 1/4 Dollar is valued between $4.77 and $51.49 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.