1839 Seated Liberty Half Dollar
Base
About This Coin
The 1839 Seated Liberty Half Dollar is a United States half dollar from the Seated Liberty Half Dollars 1839-1891 series — the first year of the series. In 1839, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 2.0 million. This ranks 26th of 53 years by total mintage, below the series median of 2.1 million. The obverse features Liberty seated on a rock, holding a pole surmounted by a Phrygian liberty cap in her left hand and a shield inscribed LIBERTY in her right and the reverse displays a heraldic eagle with shield on breast, olive branch and arrows in talons, with a banner reading E PLURIBUS UNUM. First year of the Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 13.36 grams, 30 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Across its variants, estimated values range from $85 to $2.8K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $242K in PR65 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by Thomas Sully/Christian Gobrecht.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
Specifications
Strike Types & Varieties(4)
1839 Proof Seated Liberty Half Dollar
1839 Proof Seated Liberty Half Dollar - No Drapery
1839 Seated Liberty Half Dollar
1839 Seated Liberty Half Dollar - No Drapery
Other Base Coins in This Series
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