1855 US Coins: Values & Mintages

US coinage in 1855

Arrows beside the date marked the reduced-weight silver coins for the last time. The San Francisco Mint struck its first silver coins: quarters and half dollars.

How many coins were made in 1855

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 13,970,562 coins dated 1855 across 15 issues. That is 67% fewer than in 1854 (42,190,168). In 1856 the figure rose to 31,273,093.

It was the smallest year since 1850.

By mint: Philadelphia 9,913,598 (71%, down from 32,118,601), New Orleans 3,519,000 (25%, down from 10,054,000), San Francisco 526,350 (3.8%, up from 14,632), Charlotte 9,803 (0.07%, new this year) and Dahlonega 1,811 (0.01%, down from 2,935).

Those coins held about 2,141,800 troy ounces of pure silver and 39,908 troy ounces of gold.

1855 coins by denomination

Cents: 1,574,829 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Braided Hair Large Cent, down 63% on 1854.

Dimes: 2,075,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Seated Liberty Dime, down 67% on 1854.

Quarters: 3,429,400 struck in 3 circulation issues of the Seated Liberty Quarter, down 75% on 1854. The scarcest is the 1855-O (176,000) and the most plentiful the 1855 (2,857,000).

Half Dollars: 3,577,450 struck in 3 circulation issues of the Seated Liberty Half Dollar, down 56% on 1854. The scarcest is the 1855-S (129,950) and the most plentiful the 1855-O (2,688,000).

Gold Coins: 824,883 struck in 4 circulation issues of the Gold Dollar, down 50% on 1854. The scarcest is the 1855-D (1,811) and the most plentiful the 1855 (758,269).

Odd Denominations: 2,489,000 struck in 3 circulation issues of the Three-Cent Silver and Seated Liberty Half Dime, down 69% on 1854. The scarcest is the 1855 (139,000) and the most plentiful the 1855 (1,750,000).

Every 1855 circulation issue at a glance

• 1855-D Gold Dollar: 1,811 struck, 5th lowest of 75 in the series, down from 2,935 in 1854.
• 1855-C Gold Dollar: 9,803 struck, 35th lowest of 75 in the series, similar to 1853.
• 1855-O Gold Dollar: 55,000 struck, more than 73% of the series' 75 issues, down from 290,000 in 1853.
• 1855-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar: 129,950 struck, 23rd lowest of 116 in the series.
• 1855 Three-Cent Silver: 139,000 struck, 11th lowest of 23 in the series, down from 671,000 in 1854.
• 1855-O Seated Liberty Quarter: 176,000 struck, 52nd lowest of 108 in the series, down from 1,484,000 in 1854.
• 1855-S Seated Liberty Quarter: 396,400 struck, more than 61% of the series' 108 issues.
• 1855-O Seated Liberty Half Dime: 600,000 struck, 32nd lowest of 70 in the series, down from 1,560,000 in 1854.
• 1855 Gold Dollar: 758,269 struck, more than 89% of the series' 75 issues, similar to 1854.
• 1855 Seated Liberty Half Dollar: 759,500 struck, more than 52% of the series' 116 issues, down from 2,982,000 in 1854.
• 1855 Braided Hair Large Cent: 1,574,829 struck, 3rd lowest of 19 in the series, down from 4,236,156 in 1854.
• 1855 Seated Liberty Half Dime: 1,750,000 struck, more than 86% of the series' 70 issues, down from 5,740,000 in 1854.

The 3 more plentiful issues are listed in the tables below.

Braided Hair Large Cent: Record output and the end of the large cent

The large cent peaked in 1851 with 9.9 million coined. That year includes the 1851/81 date error. Output stayed high through 1854, but copper prices kept rising. By the mid 1850s each cent cost close to its face value to make. The 1855 has upright and slanting 5 varieties plus a Knob on Ear die break. The 1856 comes with an upright or slanting 5.

Congress ended the large cent with the Act of February 21, 1857, which created the smaller copper-nickel cent. Only 333,456 large cents dated 1857 were coined, early in the year, in large date and small date styles. These later dates survive in larger numbers in uncirculated grades than earlier cents, many with original red and brown color. Proof mintages also increased in 1854 to 1857 as interest in collecting grew.

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Seated Liberty Quarter: Arrows mark the lighter quarter

The Act of February 21, 1853 cut the quarter from 6.68 to 6.22 grams so that silver coins would stay in circulation. Arrows were placed beside the date and rays around the eagle to show the change. Philadelphia struck more than 15.2 million in 1853, by far its largest quarter mintage up to that point. An 1853/4 variety shows traces of an earlier digit.

A small run of 1853 quarters was struck at the old weight without arrows, all from a repunched date die, with 44,200 reported. The rays were dropped after one year, though arrows stayed through 1855. San Francisco struck its first quarters in 1855, a mintage of 396,400. Arrow quarters survive in large numbers, many worn but with the arrows still visible, which makes them a popular choice for a type set.

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Seated Liberty Half Dollar: Arrows, rays and lighter halves

The Act of February 21, 1853 reduced the half dollar from 13.36 to 12.44 grams. Arrows beside the date and rays around the eagle marked the new weight in 1853. Philadelphia and New Orleans struck more than 4.8 million between them, so the arrows and rays type is easy to find in worn grades. It is a one-year type that most collectors include in a type set.

A handful of 1853-O halves were struck without arrows or rays. Only four are known and the coin is among the most famous Seated rarities. The rays were dropped in 1854, while arrows remained through 1855. New Orleans struck 5,240,000 in 1854. San Francisco struck its first halves in 1855, a scarce run of 129,950. The 1855/4 overdate from Philadelphia is a popular variety.

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Gold Dollar: Type 1 ends and the Indian Princess

In 1854 the gold dollar was made thinner and wider, about 15 mm, to make it easier to handle. Longacre's Type 2 design shows Liberty wearing a feathered headdress. Type 1 coins were still struck early in 1854 at Philadelphia and Dahlonega. San Francisco struck its first gold dollars that year, all of the Type 1 design.

Type 2 dollars struck poorly because the high relief of the headdress sat opposite the date. The central digits of the date are often weak. The type was made only in 1854 and 1855 plus the 1856-S. The 1855-C, 1855-D and 1855-O are prized branch mint issues, with the 1855-D the rarest at 1,811 struck. In 1856 Philadelphia switched to the larger head Type 3, which comes with slanted and upright 5 dates.

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Three-Cent Silver: Type 2 with a triple outline

In 1854 the coin was raised to 90 percent silver and lightened to 0.75 grams, bringing it into line with other silver coins. Longacre added three outlines around the star and placed an olive sprig above and a bundle of arrows below the III on the reverse.

Type 2 coins are notoriously hard to strike well. Many show weak or missing details on the star and shield. Output dropped to 671,000 in 1854 and only 139,000 in 1855, the scarcest Type 2 date. Mintages recovered to over a million a year from 1856 to 1858. Proofs were made regularly from 1858, though they are rare for that year. A sharply struck Type 2 coin is the hardest of the three types to find.

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Seated Liberty Dime: Arrows mark a lighter dime

The Act of February 21, 1853 solved the silver problem by making the coins lighter. The dime dropped from 2.67 to 2.49 grams, so its silver was once again worth less than its face value and it could circulate freely. The same law limited the amount of silver coin anyone had to accept in a single payment, which made the dime a subsidiary coin. To show the change, small arrowheads were placed on either side of the date. Unlike the quarter and half dollar, the dime got no rays on the reverse. Before the new dies were ready, Philadelphia struck 95,000 dimes at the old weight without arrows. Those coins are scarce today.

Once the arrows dies arrived, Philadelphia struck 12,078,010 dimes in 1853, a total no later Seated dime topped until 1891. New Orleans added 1,100,000 that year and 1,770,000 in 1854. Philadelphia struck 4,470,000 in 1854 and 2,075,000 in 1855. New Orleans made no dimes in 1855. The flood of new coins finally gave the country enough small change after years of shortage.

Arrows dimes are among the most available Seated dimes from before the Civil War. They make a popular type coin because the arrows stay visible even on heavily worn pieces. Check both sides of the date for them. An 1853 without arrows is the coin to look for, since its mintage was less than one percent of the arrows total.

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Seated Liberty Half Dime: Arrows and the lighter half dime

The Act of February 21, 1853 cut the weight of the half dime from 1.34 to 1.24 grams so that the coins would stay in circulation. Arrowheads beside the date marked the new standard. Unlike the quarter and half dollar, the half dime got no rays on the reverse. With its silver now worth less than its face value, the coin was no longer worth melting. Before the new dies were ready, Philadelphia struck 135,000 coins without arrows and New Orleans 160,000. The 1853-O without arrows is the rarer of the two and a key date of the series.

Then came the flood, with New Orleans striking arrows coins in every year of the period. Philadelphia struck 13,210,020 arrows half dimes in 1853, the largest mintage of any half dime ever made. New Orleans added 2,200,000. In 1854 the totals were 5,740,000 and 1,560,000. In 1855 they fell to 1,750,000 and 600,000. After years of shortage, there were finally enough small silver coins to go around.

Arrows half dimes are the easiest Seated half dimes to find from before the Civil War and a popular type coin. The arrows survive even heavy wear, so check both sides of the date. If your 1853 has no arrows, look at the reverse for an O mint mark near the bow, because that combination is the one collectors look for most.

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