Half Dollars · 1839–1891
Seated Liberty Half Dollar Values & Mintages
The Seated Liberty half dollar ran from 1839 to 1891. Arrows at the date mark weight changes in 1853–1855 and 1873–1874 and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added in 1866. Carson City issues of the 1870s are highly prized.
- Years
- 1839–1891
- Issues listed
- 116
- Lowest mintage
- 4
- Diameter
- 30.6 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip.
Designer: Christian Gobrecht.
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Key dates: lowest mintages
See all 116 →1853-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No ArrowsRare: very low mintage
41882 Seated Liberty Half DollarRare: very low mintage
4,4001884 Seated Liberty Half DollarRare: very low mintage
4,4001879 Seated Liberty Half DollarRare: very low mintage
4,8001873-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No ArrowsRare: very low mintage
5,0001886 Seated Liberty Half DollarRare: very low mintage
5,0001887 Seated Liberty Half DollarRare: very low mintage
5,0001885 Seated Liberty Half DollarRare: very low mintage
5,2001883 Seated Liberty Half DollarRare: very low mintage
8,0001880 Seated Liberty Half DollarRare: very low mintage
8,400Every Seated Liberty Half Dollar by year and mint
My collection →0 of 116 ticked. Tick the coins you own; your list stays in this browser.
| Owned✓ | Coin | Year | Mint | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1839 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1839 | None | 100,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1839 Seated Liberty Half Dollar (Drapery from elbow) | 1839 | None | 1,972,400 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1840 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1840 | None | 1,435,008 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1840-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1840 | O | 855,100 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1841 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1841 | None | 310,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1841-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1841 | O | 401,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1842 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1842 | None | 2,012,764 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1842-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1842 | O | 203,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1842-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar (Medium date, large letters variety) | 1842 | O | 754,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1843 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1843 | None | 3,844,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1843-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1843 | O | 2,268,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1844 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1844 | None | 1,766,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1844-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1844 | O | 2,005,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1845 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1845 | None | 589,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1845-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1845 | O | 2,094,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1846 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1846 | None | 2,210,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1846-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1846 | O | 2,304,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1847 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1847 | None | 1,156,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1847-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1847 | O | 2,584,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1848 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1848 | None | 580,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1848-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1848 | O | 3,180,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1849 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1849 | None | 1,252,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1849-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1849 | O | 2,310,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1850 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1850 | None | 227,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1850-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1850 | O | 2,456,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1851 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1851 | None | 200,750 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1851-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1851 | O | 402,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1852 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1852 | None | 77,130 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1852-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1852 | O | 144,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3866 oz | |
| 1853 Seated Liberty Half Dollar, Arrows and Rays | 1853 | None | 3,532,708 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1853-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No Arrows | 1853 | O | 4 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1853-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar, Arrows and Rays | 1853 | O | 1,328,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1854 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1854 | None | 2,982,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1854-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1854 | O | 5,240,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1855 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1855 | None | 759,500 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1855-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1855 | S | 129,950 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1855-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1855 | O | 2,688,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1856 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1856 | None | 938,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1856-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1856 | S | 211,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1856-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1856 | O | 2,658,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1857 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1857 | None | 1,988,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1857-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1857 | S | 158,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1857-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1857 | O | 818,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1858 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1858 | None | 4,226,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1858-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1858 | S | 476,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1858-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1858 | O | 7,294,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1859 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1859 | None | 747,200 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1859-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1859 | S | 566,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1859-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1859 | O | 2,834,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1860 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1860 | None | 302,700 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1860-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1860 | S | 472,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1860-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1860 | O | 1,290,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1861 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1861 | None | 2,888,400 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1861-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1861 | S | 939,500 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1861-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1861 | O | 2,532,633 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1862 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1862 | None | 253,550 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1862-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1862 | S | 1,352,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1863 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1863 | None | 503,660 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1863-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1863 | S | 916,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1864 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1864 | None | 379,570 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1864-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1864 | S | 658,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1865 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1865 | None | 511,900 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1865-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1865 | S | 675,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1866 Seated Liberty Half Dollar, With Motto | 1866 | None | 745,625 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1866-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No Motto | 1866 | S | 60,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1866-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar, With Motto | 1866 | S | 994,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1867 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1867 | None | 449,925 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1867-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1867 | S | 1,196,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1868 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1868 | None | 418,200 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1868-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1868 | S | 1,160,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1869 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1869 | None | 795,900 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1869-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1869 | S | 656,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1870 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1870 | None | 634,900 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1870-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1870 | S | 1,004,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1870-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1870 | CC | 54,617 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1871 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1871 | None | 1,204,560 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1871-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1871 | S | 2,178,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1871-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1871 | CC | 153,950 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1872 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1872 | None | 881,550 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1872-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1872 | S | 580,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1872-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1872 | CC | 257,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1873 Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No Arrows | 1873 | None | 587,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1873 Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No Arrows (Open 3) | 1873 | None | 214,200 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1873 Seated Liberty Half Dollar, With Arrows | 1873 | None | 1,815,700 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1873-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No Arrows | 1873 | S | 5,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1873-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar, With Arrows | 1873 | S | 228,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1873-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No Arrows | 1873 | CC | 122,500 | Circulation strike | 0.3600 oz | |
| 1873-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar, With Arrows | 1873 | CC | 214,560 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1874 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1874 | None | 2,360,300 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1874-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1874 | S | 394,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1874-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1874 | CC | 59,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1875 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1875 | None | 6,027,500 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1875-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1875 | S | 3,200,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1875-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1875 | CC | 1,008,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1876 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1876 | None | 8,419,150 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1876-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1876 | S | 4,528,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1876-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1876 | CC | 1,956,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1877 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1877 | None | 8,304,510 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1877-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1877 | S | 5,356,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1877-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1877 | CC | 1,420,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1878 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1878 | None | 1,378,400 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1878-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1878 | S | 12,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1878-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1878 | CC | 62,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1879 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1879 | None | 4,800 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1880 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1880 | None | 8,400 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1881 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1881 | None | 10,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1882 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1882 | None | 4,400 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1883 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1883 | None | 8,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1884 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1884 | None | 4,400 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1885 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1885 | None | 5,200 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1886 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1886 | None | 5,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1887 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1887 | None | 5,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1888 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1888 | None | 12,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1889 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1889 | None | 12,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1890 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1890 | None | 12,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz | |
| 1891 Seated Liberty Half Dollar | 1891 | None | 200,000 | Circulation strike | 0.3617 oz |
Composition by year
| Years | Metal | Weight | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1839–1852 | 90% silver, 10% copper | 13.36 g | 0.3866 oz |
| 1853–1873 | 90% silver, 10% copper | 12.44 g | 0.3600 oz |
| 1874–1891 | 90% silver, 10% copper | 12.5 g | 0.3617 oz |
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Mint mark location
1839–1891: On the reverse, below the eagle. Philadelphia halves have no mint mark.
Grading tips
LIBERTY on the shield is the benchmark for Fine. Check the high points of Liberty's knees and breast.
Frequently asked questions
What is the rarest Seated Liberty Half Dollar?
By mintage, the scarcest regular circulation issue is the 1853-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No Arrows with 4 struck, followed by the 1882 Seated Liberty Half Dollar (4,400). Survival rates and condition also matter: some higher-mintage dates are scarce in top grades.
Are Seated Liberty Half Dollars silver?
1839–1852: 90% silver, 10% copper; 1853–1873: 90% silver, 10% copper; 1874–1891: 90% silver, 10% copper.
Where is the mint mark on a Seated Liberty Half Dollar?
1839–1891: On the reverse, below the eagle. Philadelphia halves have no mint mark.
How many Seated Liberty Half Dollars were made?
About 154,328,674 for circulation across 116 date and mint combinations, from 8,419,150 for the 1876 Seated Liberty Half Dollar down to 4 for the 1853-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar, No Arrows.
Who designed the Seated Liberty Half Dollar?
Christian Gobrecht.
Other half dollars
Flowing Hair Half Dollar
1794–1795 · 2 issues
Draped Bust Half Dollar
1796–1807 · 7 issues
Capped Bust Half Dollar
1807–1839 · 35 issues
Barber Half Dollar
1892–1915 · 73 issues
Walking Liberty Half Dollar
1916–1947 · 72 issues
Franklin Half Dollar
1948–1963 · 49 issues
Kennedy Half Dollar
1964–present · 217 issues
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Mintages from Wikipedia's US Mint-sourced tables (CC BY-SA 4.0). Specifications from US Mint records. All sources.