face value

noun

1

: the value indicated on the face (as of a postage stamp or a stock certificate)

2

: the apparent value or significance

if their remarks may be taken at face value

Examples of face value in a Sentence

We paid $100 for tickets that had a face value of $50.

Recent Examples on the Web

Prices were still above face value but nothing compared with those in the US and Canada. —Cynthia Moss, CNN, 19 Oct. 2024

Each platform offers different payout rates, which can range from 70% to 92% of the card’s face value, depending on the retailer and the demand for that particular brand. —True Tamplin, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024

Fans of the band had expressed their anger at the difficult process trying to secure tickets for the reunion tour, specifically lamenting that Ticketmaster was selling tickets at roughly twice the price of the original face value. —Daysia Tolentino, NBC News, 30 Sep. 2024

Today’s scalpers use bots to game the system and charge double the face value, or more. —Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

face value

noun

1

: the value indicated on the face of something (as a coin, bill, bond, or insurance policy)

2

: the apparent worth or significance

can't take what he says at face value

Legal Definition

face value

noun

: the value indicated on the face of something (as a stock certificate)