1866 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The 1866 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold coins were minted in the Philadelphia and San Francisco (S) mints. The San Francisco Mint produced 10 times more $2.50 gold coins than the facility in Philadelphia. This is due to the bulk of U.S. gold coinage was circulating in the West. These coins are popular for their gold content which contains 0.1202 ounces of gold.

The 1866 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coins, were designed by Christian Gobrecht. Gobrecht served as Chief Engraver of the United States Mint during 1840 through 1844 and designed the widely popular Seated Liberty coins struck from the 1830s through the early 1890s.

Grading the 1866 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

For coins that have been around as long as the 1866 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin, you really have to closely examine the coin’s condition. While these coins may have value in various conditions, only coins that are in near-perfect condition will be highly sought after by collectors. Considering how long these coins have been around, however, finding coins in almost perfect condition is no easy task.

When you are examining a coin, you are essentially trying to determine how the coin might be graded. Although actual grades are assigned by professional coin grading companies, you can use the guidelines below to try to determine how your coin might be graded.

Uncirculated: Coins in this condition are often highly coveted by collectors. These coins were never used in circulation, and have been exchanged only a limited amount of times. Because of this, their condition remains excellent and these coins will appear to the eye as if they were just struck the very same day.

Extremely Fine: Extremely fine Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin may also be sought after by coin collectors. These coins, however, may have very minor signs of use and damage. The coin may have very minimal surface scratches and will look almost brand new. It is only under a very close visual inspection that the coin’s imperfections are seen.

Fine: Coins in fine condition have been exchanged countless times over the years, and one can tell this by their appearance. While the coin’s images and text remain fully intact, they may have significant scratches and blemishes.

Good: The majority of Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coins on the market today are considered to be in good condition. Due to heavy use over a period of many years, these coins will display significant scratches and other imperfections. For a coin collector, these coins may be skipped over for coins in better overall condition. Despite this, these coins may have some collectible value depending on year or relative scarcity.

Pricing the 1866 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The first step in gauging a coin’s potential value is identifying its type. In mint year 1866, two different types of this coin were produced. Secondly, you must get a good idea of the coin’s physical condition and how it might be graded by a professional. Coin condition is critical for coin collectors, and coins in excellent condition can sell for higher premiums than similar coins in good or fair condition. The chart below will show you what you might expect a 1866 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin to be valued at based on its grade and type.

Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1866 Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin	N/A	N/A	$3,000	$5,250
1866 Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin (S)	N/A	N/A	$750	$1,700
Source: Red Book