1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar brings anywhere from $405 to $4,372; the melt floor under every example is $405 (spot prices 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.
1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $404.81 |
| Good (G-4) | $405 to $486 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $405 to $500 |
| Fine (F-12) | $405 to $525 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $405 to $559 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $447 to $632 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $551 to $777 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $757 to $1,069 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,204 to $1,700 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $3,097 to $4,372 |
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 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar starts around $405. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $4,372. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1894
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 4.176 g
- Diameter
- 17.5 mm
- Gold content
- 0.12084 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (varies by series) is simply blank.
What makes the 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar valuable
The 1894 United States 2 1/2 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.
Each 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar holds 0.1208 troy ounces of gold, worth $405 at current spot prices. Gold content dominates the value of common dates and underwrites every numismatic premium above it.
There is history in a 1894 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.
1894 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 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
1 physically measured 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.176 g, 17.5 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.176 g | 17.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.114, Breen.6315 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1894 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $405 and $4,372 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.