1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar brings anywhere from $405 to $4,376, and its metal content alone is worth $405 as of 2026-06-01 Where your coin lands depends on wear, strike and surface quality.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 gold standard.
1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $405.18 |
| Good (G-4) | $405 to $486 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $405 to $501 |
| Fine (F-12) | $405 to $525 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $405 to $559 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $448 to $632 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $551 to $778 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $758 to $1,070 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,205 to $1,702 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $3,100 to $4,376 |
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 a 1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar worth right now?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1898 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 $4,376. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1898
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 4.18 g
- Diameter
- 17.5 mm
- Gold content
- 0.12095 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1898 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 1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar valuable
Official mintage figures for the 1898 United States 2 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.
Each 1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar holds 0.1210 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.
Context adds the final layer to the 1898 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.
1898 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 1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
2 physically measured 1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.18 g, 17.5 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.18 g | 17.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.114, Breen.6319 |
| 1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #2 | 4.181 g | 17.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.114, Breen.6319 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1898 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $405 and $4,376 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.