1918 United States 1/2 Dollar Value
Today a 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar typically sells for $9.47 to $102, with condition doing most of the work, and its metal content alone is worth $9.47 as of 2026-06-01 Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1918 United States 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $9.47 |
| Good (G-4) | $9.47 to $11.37 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $9.47 to $11.71 |
| Fine (F-12) | $9.47 to $12.28 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $9.47 to $13.07 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $10.47 to $14.78 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $12.88 to $18.19 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $17.71 to $25.01 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $28.18 to $39.78 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $72.46 to $102 |
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.
How much is a 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar starts around $9.47. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $102. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1918 United States 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1918
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 8.969 g
- Diameter
- 30 mm
- Silver content
- 0.25952 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (check the usual position for this series), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What makes the 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar valuable
For the 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar, surviving examples tell the story that mint records do not. Museum-documented specimens define the issue for collectors.
Every 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar contains 0.2595 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $9.47. 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 1918 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.
1918 United States 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
CENTENNIAL OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS / LIBERTY / 1918 / IN GOD WE TRUST
Lincoln bust r.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / HALF DOLLAR / E PLURIBUS UNUM / on scroll STATE GOVERNMENT NATIONAL UNION
eagle walking l. on ground and shield, scroll in mouth, rising sun r.
Measured 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar specimens
6 physically measured 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 8.969 g, 30 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar #1 | - | - | - | Breen.7446 |
| 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar #2 | - | - | - | Breen.7446 |
| 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar #3 | - | - | - | Breen.5137 |
| 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar #4 | - | - | - | Breen.5138 |
| 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar #5 | - | - | - | Breen.5136 |
| 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar #6 | 8.969 g | 30 mm | 6 h | KM,USA.142 (fake) |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1918 United States 1/2 Dollar is valued between $9.47 and $102 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.