1879 United States 4 Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1879 United States 4 Dollar brings anywhere from $681 to $7,350, and its metal content alone is worth $681 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.
1879 United States 4 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $680.59 |
| Good (G-4) | $681 to $817 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $681 to $841 |
| Fine (F-12) | $681 to $882 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $681 to $939 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $752 to $1,062 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $926 to $1,307 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $1,273 to $1,797 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $2,025 to $2,858 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $5,206 to $7,350 |
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.
Current 1879 United States 4 Dollar value
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $681. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $7,350 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1879 United States 4 Dollar can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1879 United States 4 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1879
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 7.021 g
- Diameter
- 21.4 mm
- Gold content
- 0.20316 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
The 1879 United States 4 Dollar comes from Philadelphia, which struck coins without a mint mark. If the spot where branch-mint coins show a letter is empty on your 1879, that is exactly as it should be.
What makes the 1879 United States 4 Dollar valuable
At 0.2032 troy ounces of gold, $681 at spot, the intrinsic value of a 1879 United States 4 Dollar is substantial, and every move in the gold market flows straight into its price.
The 1879 United States 4 Dollar lacks precise production records, so its value rests on demonstrated rarity: how often examples surface at auction and how they compare to documented specimens.
Context adds the final layer to the 1879 United States 4 Dollar. 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.
1879 United States 4 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
*6*.3*S*.7*C*7*G*R*A*M*S* 1879
head l., long hair
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; FOUR DOL.; ONE STELLA - 400 CENTS
star in center, with ONE STELLA-400 CENTS incuse
Measured 1879 United States 4 Dollar specimens
2 physically measured 1879 United States 4 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 7.021 g, 21.4 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1879 United States 4 Dollar #1 | 7.021 g | 21.4 mm | - | Judd.1635, Breen.6408, Friedberg.USA.128, Pollock.1832 |
| 1879 United States 4 Dollar #2 | - | - | - | Judd.1635, Breen.6408, Friedberg.USA.128, Pollock.1832 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1879 United States 4 Dollar is valued between $681 and $7,350 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.