It’s been almost 150 years since the 1877 Half Dollar was released into circulation. And to sweeten the deal further, they only minted a little over 10 million of these coins. In the numismatic realm, these are the key ingredients that make a coin valuable.
But is the 1877 Half Dollar a valuable coin? And if so, how much is it worth?
Perhaps the valuation chart below can give you an idea:
1877 Half Dollar Value List
| Mint | Good (G4) | Fine (F12) | Extremely Fine (XF40) | Uncirculated
(MS60) |
Brilliant Uncirculated (MS62) |
| 1877 Half Dollar | $65 | $100 | $225 | $700 | $1,100 |
| 1877 Proof-Like Half Dollar | – | – | – | – | $2,000 |
| 1877 Proof Half Dollar | – | – | – | $900 | $1,250 |
| 1877-CC Half Dollar | $125 | $225 | $500 | $1,750 | $2,500 |
| 1877-S Half Dollar | $65 | $100 | $250 | $700 | $900 |
Source: PCGS, 2023
1877 Half Dollar: Historical Background
The 1877 Seated Liberty Half Dollar comes from a time when almost all the United States coins shared similar designs. The 1877 Half Dollar shared its design with the Half Dime, the Dime, as well as the Quarter.
It also belongs to a greater family of coins that were among the first to feature the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST.” This was a move made to lift the people’s spirits beyond the horrors of the American Civil War and refocus the citizens’ attention on God, Family, and Country.
The motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” was integrated into U.S. coinage during the Civil War era.
Since then, the motto has appeared in almost every U.S. coin. President Eisenhower even signed into law a bill that required all U.S. coins and paper currency to bear the motto.
1877 Half Dollar: Physical Features
The 1877 Half Dollar was affected by the Coinage Act of 1853, which reduced the silver content and weight of some U.S. coins. The 1877 Half Dollar weighs 12.5 grams, almost a gram lighter than the pre-1853 Half Dollars.
Below is a highlight of the physical features of the 1877 Half Dollar:
1877 Half Dollar: Physical Characteristics
| Physical Feature | Notes |
| Metallic Composition | 90% Silver
10% Copper |
| Weight | 12.5 grams |
| Diameter | 30.6 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
Now, let’s look at the features of the obverse and reverse faces.
Obverse Design and Features
The 1877 Half Dollar’s obverse bears the Liberty Seated design that appeared on U.S. coinage between 1836 and 1891. This design was drawn by the American portraitist Thomas Sully and engraved by Christian Gobrecht.
Christian Gobrecht included the following elements in his design:
- The portrait of Lady Liberty seated, holding a shield, and the Liberty Pole
- The word “LIBERTY” engraved across Lady Liberty’s shield
- A Phrygian cap hanging on the top end of the Liberty Pole
- 13 stars arching around Lady Liberty’s portrait, each for every one of the original 13 colonies
- The issue year “1877,” directly under Lady Liberty’s seated image
- Decorative reeds along the rim of the coin.
Reverse Design and Features
Christian Gobrecht also designed the reverse with the following elements:
- A central image of an eagle about to take flight
- A striped shield imposed on the eagle’s chest
- An olive branch(a symbol of peace) clasped between the eagle’s left talons
- Three arrows clasped between the eagle’s right talons
- The mint mark, under the eagle, right below the olive branch
- A floating banner bearing the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST,” right above the eagle
- The country of issue, “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” arching around the eagle
- The denomination “HALF DOL.,” under the eagle
- Decorativereeds along the rim of the coin
1877 Half Dollar: Varieties and Valuation
Based on mint marks alone, we can derive three varieties from the 1877 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Below is a breakdown of each variety and how much they are worth these days:
1877-P Half Dollar Value
The 1877-P Liberty Seated Half Dollar is the product of the Philadelphia Mint. You can identify these coins by the lack of a mint mark on their reverse face. Other than that, they are identical to other varieties of the 1877 Half Dollar.
In 1877, the Philadelphia Mint struck 8,304,510 of these coins, making the 1877-P Half Dollar the most abundant variety in that issue year.
The 1877-P Half Dollar has aged like fine wine, with good examples being worth anywhere in the neighborhood of $65. Below is a highlight of the value of various grades of the 1877-P Half Dollar.
| Coin Condition | Estimated Value |
| Good (G4) | $65 |
| Very Good (G8) | $80 |
| Fine (F12) | $100 |
| Very Fine (F20) | $125 |
| Extremely Fine (XF40) | $225 |
| About Uncirculated (AU50) | $350 |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $700 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS63) | $1,250 |
Source: PCGS, 2023
The 1877-P Half Dollar has sold some valuable pieces over the years. The most valuable example sold for a record-breaking $31,050. This particular Half Dollar is certified as the sole finest example of the 1877-P Liberty Seated Half Dollar. CAC certified it MS67+.
1877-P Proof Half Dollar Value
The Philadelphia Mint also made a handful of 1877 Proof Half Dollars. Like any coin that comes from the Philly Mint, these Half Dollars lacked mint marks. Only 510 proof coins were struck, making them rare and quite valuable.
The table below highlights the estimated values of the various grades of 1877-P Proof coins.
| Coin Condition | Estimated Value | ||
| Proof (PR) | Cameo (CAM) | Deep Cameo (DCAM) | |
| About Uncirculated (AU50) | $600 | – | – |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $900 | $1,100 | – |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS64) | $1,850 | $2,500 | $7,000 |
Source: PCGS, 2023
1877-P Prooflike Half Dollar Value
While proof coins are struck on highly-polished planchets, prooflike coins are struck with highly-polished dies. Among the 8 million 1877-P Half Dollars minted at the Philadelphia Mint, an unknown number were prooflike coins.
They are so rare that it’s difficult to estimate their value. But the record holder for the most valuable 1877 Prooflike Half Dollar is held by this MS61PL-graded coin that sold for $866.11.
1877-CC Half Dollar Value
Back in 1877, even the Carson City Mint helped in the half dollar’s production. They made 1.42 million 1877-CC Half Dollars, each bearing the mint mark “CC.” How valuable is the 1877-CC Half Dollar?
Perhaps the table below will help.
| Coin Condition | Estimated Value |
| Good (G4) | $125 |
| Very Good (G8) | $175 |
| Fine (F12) | $225 |
| Very Fine (F20) | $300 |
| Extremely Fine (XF40) | $450 |
| About Uncirculated (AU50) | $650 |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $1,750 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS63) | $3,000 |
Source: PCGS, 2023
1877-S Half Dollar Value
Not to be left behind, the San Fransisco Mint struck 5,356,000 coins, each with the “S” mint mark. How much are they worth today? Almost as much as similarly-graded 1877-P Half Dollars.
Check out the value chart below:
| Coin Condition | Estimated Value |
| Good (G4) | $65 |
| Very Good (G8) | $80 |
| Fine (F12) | $100 |
| Very Fine (F20) | $125 |
| Extremely Fine (XF40) | $225 |
| About Uncirculated (AU50) | $350 |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $700 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS63) | $1,250 |
Source: PCGS, 2023
1877 Half Dollar: Valuable Error 1877 Half Dollars
In general, the 1877 Liberty Seated Half Dollar was a well-struck coin with well-defined features. But that didn’t stop a few interesting error coins from popping out. Below are just some of the ugly ducklings we were able to find:
1. 1877/6 Half Dollar with Overdate Error: Sold for $22,325
What happens when you repunch an 1866 Half Dollar with an 1877 die? Well, you get an overdate error, like this 1877/6 Half Dollar. It is graded MS64+ by CAC, making it the finest known example, a factor that must have played a role in its price tag.
2. 1877/6 Half Dollar with Overdate Error: Sold for $9,987.50
The overdate error was quite common, with 17 known graded examples. It’s not an easy error to identify, but once you’ve got it, you’re in the money. Another valuable coin with this error is this 1877/6 Half Dollar that’s graded MS64. It sold for almost $10,000. Beautiful patina on this little thing.
3. 1877/6 Half Dollar with Overdate Error: Sold for $9,106.25
Another similarly-graded coin is this 1877/6 Half Dollar. There’s no patina on either face of this fine specimen. Its clarity could be the reason why it failed to match the price of the previous entrant. This coin is so icy white that you would confuse it for a brilliant, uncirculated proof like coin.
4. 1877/6 Half Dollar with Overdate Error: Sold for $6,300
Continuing with the theme of coins with the overdate error, I present this 1877/6 Half Dollar graded MS64. The coin still retains its lustrous appearance with a frosty relief. There is no patina on this gem, either.
5. 1877-P Seated Liberty Half Dollar with Strike-Through Error on the Reverse: Selling for $750
Strike-through errors occur when debris comes between the planchet and the die. What you get are grooves on the site of the debris. This particular coin has an eyesore of a groove on the reverse, right where the mint mark should be.
1877 Half Dollar: Is it Worth Collecting
Absolutely. The good news is that the 1877 Half Dollar is a relatively easy coin to track down, considering its age. Just as long as you’re willing to pay these prices.
It’s a well-struck coin, so don’t expect to find a boatload of error coins. The most common error is the overdate error, which is not sufficient to drive up the price. The condition of the coin is the real money maker.
Jenson is a professional numismatist, a dedicated coin collector, a graduate of the College of Business at Oregon State, a life member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), and an overall coin nerd. He is the founder of Coin Value List.