1881 United States Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1881 United States Dollar brings anywhere from $1.77 to $19.12, and its metal content alone is worth $1.77 as of 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.
1881 United States Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $1.77 |
| Good (G-4) | $1.77 to $2.12 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $1.77 to $2.19 |
| Fine (F-12) | $1.77 to $2.29 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $1.77 to $2.44 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $1.96 to $2.76 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $2.41 to $3.40 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $3.31 to $4.67 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $5.27 to $7.44 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $13.54 to $19.12 |
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 1881 United States Dollar worth today?
Start with $1.77 for a heavily circulated 1881 United States Dollar and work upward. Lightly circulated 1881 examples occupy the middle of the range, while true gems approach $19.12. If your coin has no wear on the high points, it deserves a closer look or a professional opinion.
1881 United States Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1881
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 1.676 g
- Diameter
- 15.75 mm
- Silver content
- 0.04850 troy oz
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1881 United States 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.
Where this coin's value comes from
Documented examples of the 1881 United States Dollar in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
The 90% silver composition gives a 1881 United States Dollar 0.0485 oz of precious metal ($1.77 at current spot). Bullion demand alone supports the bottom of its price range.
Context adds the final layer to the 1881 United States 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.
1881 United States Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
head of Liberty l. wearing bonnet
Reverse
1 / DOLLAR/ 1881 in 3 lines
wreath of corn stalks, value within
Measured 1881 United States Dollar specimens
8 physically measured 1881 United States Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 1.676 g, 15.75 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1881 United States Dollar #1 | 1.676 g | 14.75 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.94, Breen.6103 |
| 1881 United States Dollar #2 | 1.673 g | 15.75 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.94, Breen.6103 |
| 1881 United States Dollar #3 | 19.603 g | 37.5 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1881 United States Dollar #4 | 20.194 g | 37.5 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1881 United States Dollar #5 | - | - | - | Krause.1084, Breen.5564 |
| 1881 United States Dollar #6 | - | - | - | Krause.1084, Breen.5563 |
| 1881 United States Dollar #7 | - | - | - | Krause.1084, Breen.5568 |
| 1881 United States Dollar #8 | - | - | - | Krause.1084, Breen.5569 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1881 United States Dollar is valued between $1.77 and $19.12 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.