1/2 Onza Libertad Silver 1987: Value & Where to Sell

If you inherited or found a 1987 half-ounce Silver Libertad, here is the straight answer: it is a real 0.999 fine silver coin, so it has a floor at melt value (right now that half-ounce of silver is worth roughly USD 15 to 18 depending on the spot price). In top uncirculated grades it can bring several hundred dollars, because the early fractional Libertads were struck in small numbers. Below is what drives the price and how to check yours.

What this coin actually is

The 1/2 Onza Libertad ("Libertad" means Liberty) is a Mexican silver bullion coin struck by the Casa de Moneda de México, the national mint. "1/2 Onza" means half a troy ounce. The 1987 issue is:

• Metal: silver, 0.999 fine (99.9% pure)
• Weight: 15.5515 grams (half a troy ounce)
• Diameter: 29 mm
• Edge: reeded
• Design: the Winged Victory (Ángel de la Independencia, the golden angel statue in Mexico City) standing above the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl on one side, the Mexican coat of arms on the other

This is the first design type of the Libertad series, the version most collectors recognize. The 1987 half-ounce belongs to the early fractional coins that Banxico (the Bank of Mexico) added to the program for buyers who wanted a Libertad without paying for a full ounce.

What it is worth in 2026

Two things set the value: the silver in it and the grade.

Silver floor. Half a troy ounce of pure silver is the bottom price. No genuine 1987 half-ounce Libertad sells below its melt value, whatever a buyer tells you. Check the current silver spot price, take half of it, and that is your minimum.

Collector premium. The early fractional Libertads (1982 to the late 1980s) were struck in far smaller quantities than the full-ounce coins, and many were handled, cleaned, or melted over the years. That scarcity in high grade is where the money is. A worn or cleaned 1987 half-ounce trades close to melt, roughly USD 20 to 40. A clean uncirculated example carries a real premium, and a certified high-grade coin (graded MS-68 or MS-69 by NGC or PCGS) can reach into the hundreds of dollars when two collectors want the same one.

Coin	Year	Condition	Approx. value (USD)
1/2 Onza Libertad	1987	Circulated / cleaned	20 to 40
1/2 Onza Libertad	1987	Uncirculated (raw)	50 to 150
1/2 Onza Libertad	1987	Certified MS-68 to MS-69	150 to 500+

These are market ranges, not fixed prices. Silver moves daily and grade is everything, so a coin one point higher on the scale can be worth several times more.

Why 1987 matters

1987 sits in the early years of the series, when the mint was still refining production and public demand for the fractional pieces. Lower mintages plus decades of attrition mean the survivors in strong condition are genuinely harder to find than the full ounces of the same era. That is the reason a well-kept 1987 half-ounce is a piece experienced Libertad collectors watch for, not something you find in every dealer case.

How to check what yours is worth

1. Weigh and measure it. Use a jewelry scale and a caliper. A genuine coin is 15.5515 grams and 29 mm. Wrong weight or diameter is the fastest way to spot a fake.
2. Grade it honestly. Look for original mint luster and clean surfaces. Scratches, spots, and rub knock the value down toward melt. If it looks flawless and you think it is high grade, professional certification (NGC or PCGS) can pay for itself.
3. Never clean it. Cleaning a silver coin leaves microscopic scratches and destroys the premium. Buyers pay for original surfaces.
4. Photograph both sides and the edge before you ask for offers.

For deeper background on the series, see our guides to the Onza Libertad silver coins and the wider family of Mexican silver coins. If you are trying to figure out grading, our coin grading guide walks through the scale.

Where to sell it

Because this is a precious-metal coin, sell only where you can show the piece and its weight in person or with clear photos. The safest routes are a verified numismatic dealer from the Pesoteca shop directory, which values it on the spot, or the Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum where collectors deal directly. Avoid dumping it to the first Facebook bidder, and be suspicious of any offer well below the silver value.

Got a 1987 half-ounce Libertad and not sure of the grade? Post clear photos of both sides and the edge in the Pesoteca forum and let collectors help you pin down what it is worth.

1/2 troy ounce Libertad silver 1987 Regular BU

This piece is the Libertad silver ounce in the 1/2 troy ounce size, struck by the Mexican Mint in 1987 in its Regular BU version.

Technical data. It contains 15.55 g of pure silver at .999 fineness and measures 33 mm in diameter. The reverse bears the effigy of the Angel of Independence, adopted by Banxico as the official symbol of the series since 1981. The obverse shows the National Coat of Arms in its pre-1969 version, alongside other historical coats of arms as an identity mark of the family.

Role within the set. It is the upper intermediate fraction. It weighs exactly half of the flagship piece and is usually struck in smaller runs than the full ounce, which gives it a relative scarcity profile within the year's set.

Context of the year. In 1987 Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado was in office. The Mexican stock market suffered a collapse in October and inflation closed at 159.2% for the year.

Regular BU finish. The Regular finish, cataloged by Banxico as satin or BU, is obtained with dies without special polishing. The result is an even matte luster across the whole surface, with no mirror contrast between fields and relief. It is the traditional bullion finish: bought for its weight in pure silver plus a modest die premium. It's the version collectors seek to build the complete set by year without breaking the bank on every piece.

Mintage. The exact mintage of this combination does not appear in the Bank of Mexico's public 2000-2025 tables. For pieces outside that range you must consult the specific Mint catalog.