1871 Seated Liberty Half Dime
Base
About This Coin
The 1871 Seated Liberty Half Dime is a United States dime from the Seated Liberty Half Dimes 1837-1873 series — a late issue, 35th of 37 years in the series. In 1871, coins were struck at the Philadelphia and San Francisco Mints with a combined mintage of 2.0 million. This ranks 24th of 37 years by total mintage, above the series median of 1.6 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 an agricultural wreath enclosing the denomination. Minted during Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, as the nation healed from civil war and debated the role of silver and gold in the monetary system. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 1.24 grams, 15.9 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Across its variants, estimated values range from $32 to $668 depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $25K in PR69 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by James Barton Longacre.
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.
