Seated Liberty Half Dollar Values

The 1878-S tops this series: a top-grade example is estimated around $120,159. Condition drives that figure — the same date in worn condition is worth a fraction of it, which is why each guide shows a range rather than a single number.

By mintage, the 1878-S is the scarcest key date tracked here, with 12,000 struck. Mintage is coins struck rather than coins surviving, though — melting and circulation wear thin those numbers further, so survival estimates run lower still.

This guide covers 3 key dates and varieties from the Seated Liberty Half Dollar series (1839–1891). Common dates from the same series are worth far less and are usually valued closer to their metal content.

Grading takes practice, and the gap between adjacent grades is real money on a key date. Compare your coin against the photographs on each date's page, and for anything potentially valuable consider having it certified by PCGS or NGC — a graded coin settles both authenticity and condition in one step.