1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar Value
A 1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is worth roughly $405 to $4,373 depending on its condition. Its intrinsic melt value stands at $405 based on spot prices from 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.
1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $404.88 |
| 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) | $1,205 to $1,701 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $3,097 to $4,373 |
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 1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1909 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 $4,373. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1909
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Gold
- Weight
- 4.177 g
- Diameter
- 17.5 mm
- Gold content
- 0.12086 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
Philadelphia struck the 1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar, and Philadelphia coins of this period carry no mint mark at all. An empty space at the usual mint mark position (see the series guide) confirms a Philadelphia strike, not a flaw.
Why the 1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is worth money
Documented examples of the 1909 United States 2 1/2 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.
With 0.1209 oz of fine gold inside ($405 of metal at today's prices), a 1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar can never trade below its bullion value, and rarer dates stack collector premiums on top.
Context adds the final layer to the 1909 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.
1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
****** LIBERTY ******* (date)
indian head in bonnet l. in bas-relief
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 2 1/2 D.: in field r.; IN GOD WE TRUST: in field l.; E PLURIBUS UNUM
eagle standing on fasces l.
Measured 1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar specimens
1 physically measured 1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.177 g, 17.5 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar #1 | 4.177 g | 17.5 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.120, Breen.6331 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1909 United States 2 1/2 Dollar is valued between $405 and $4,373 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.