1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
The 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar carries a current retail range of about $402 to $4,344 across circulated and Mint State grades; the melt floor under every example is $402 (spot prices 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 gold standard.
1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $402.27 |
| Good (G-4) | $402 to $483 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $402 to $497 |
| Fine (F-12) | $402 to $521 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $402 to $555 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $445 to $628 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $547 to $772 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $752 to $1,062 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,197 to $1,690 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $3,077 to $4,344 |
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 the 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar selling for today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar starts around $402. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $4,344. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1886
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 4.15 g
- Diameter
- 17.5 mm
- Gold content
- 0.12008 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
The 1886 United States 2 1/2 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 1886, that is exactly as it should be.
What makes the 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar valuable
With 0.1201 oz of fine gold inside ($402 of metal at today's prices), a 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar can never trade below its bullion value, and rarer dates stack collector premiums on top.
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Context adds the final layer to the 1886 United States 2 1/2 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.
1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* (date)
coronet head of Liberty l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 2 1/2 D.
eagle facing, head l.
Measured 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
1 physically measured 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.15 g, 17.5 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.15 g | 17.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.114, Breen.6305 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1886 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $402 and $4,344 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.