1986 United States 1/2 Dollar Value
A 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar is worth roughly $11.98 to $129 depending on its condition. Its intrinsic melt value stands at $11.98 based on spot prices from 2026-06-01 Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1986 United States 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $11.98 |
| Good (G-4) | $11.98 to $14.37 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $11.98 to $14.80 |
| Fine (F-12) | $11.98 to $15.52 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $11.98 to $16.53 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $13.23 to $18.68 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $16.29 to $23.00 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $22.40 to $31.62 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $35.63 to $50.30 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $91.62 to $129 |
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 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar starts around $11.98. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $129. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1986 United States 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1986
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 11.34 g
- Diameter
- 30.13 mm
- Silver content
- 0.32813 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1986 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.
Where this coin's value comes from
Documented examples of the 1986 United States 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.
A 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar is real bullion as well as a collectible: 0.3281 troy ounces of fine silver, or about $11.98 of metal value in every example, regardless of condition.
Context adds the final layer to the 1986 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.
1986 United States 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY IN GOD WE TRUST 1986
sun rising above harbor scene, Statue of Liberty r.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A NATIONAL OF IMMIGRANTS E PLURIBUSS UNUM HALF DOLLAR
immigrant family standing. on pier pointing to shore
Measured 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar specimens
10 physically measured 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 11.34 g, 30.13 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #1 | 11.34 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #2 | 11.34 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #3 | 11.34 g | 30.13 mm | 6 h | KM.212 |
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #4 | 11.34 g | 30.13 mm | 6 h | KM.212 |
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #5 | 11.34 g | 30.13 mm | 6 h | KM.212 |
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #6 | 11.34 g | 30.13 mm | 6 h | KM.212 |
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #7 | 11.34 g | 30.13 mm | 6 h | KM.212 |
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #8 | - | 30 mm | - | - |
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #9 | - | 38 mm | - | Breen.7609 |
| 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar #10 | - | 38 mm | - | Breen.7610 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1986 United States 1/2 Dollar is valued between $11.98 and $129 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.