1898 United States 1/2 Dollar Value
The 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar carries a current retail range of about $11.57 to $125 across circulated and Mint State grades, and its metal content alone is worth $11.57 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.
1898 United States 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $11.57 |
| Good (G-4) | $11.57 to $13.88 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $11.57 to $14.30 |
| Fine (F-12) | $11.57 to $14.99 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $11.57 to $15.96 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $12.78 to $18.05 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $15.73 to $22.21 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $21.63 to $30.54 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $34.41 to $48.59 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $88.49 to $125 |
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 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar value
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $11.57. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $125 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1898 United States 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1898
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 10.953 g
- Diameter
- 30.5 mm
- Silver content
- 0.31693 troy oz
Why there is no letter on this coin
Look for a letter and you will not find one. The 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar is a Philadelphia product, and the main mint did not sign its work at this time.
Why the 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar is worth money
Official mintage figures for the 1898 United States 1/2 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.
Every 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar contains 0.3169 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $11.57. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Context adds the final layer to the 1898 United States 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.
1898 United States 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
****** IN GOD WE TRUST ******* (date)
Liberty head r.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; HALF DOLLAR
heraldic eagle, motto on ribbon and stars above
Measured 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar specimens
5 physically measured 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 10.953 g, 30.5 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar #1 | - | - | - | Breen.5067 |
| 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar #2 | - | - | - | Breen.5068 |
| 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar #3 | - | - | - | Breen.5070 |
| 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar #4 | - | - | - | Breen.5067 |
| 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar #5 | 10.953 g | 30.5 mm | 6 h | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1898 United States 1/2 Dollar is valued between $11.57 and $125 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.