1829 Capped Bust Half Dime
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 1,230,000 made
- Mintage
- 1,230,000
- Metal
- 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper
- Weight
- 1.35 g
- Diameter
- 15.5 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is an 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime worth?
It's scarcer than a typical date, so even circulated examples sell above face and above their metal value. The best uncirculated coins are where the money is.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime rare?
- Somewhat. 1,230,000 were made, fewer than most dates, so collectors treat it as a semi-key.
- Is the 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime silver?
- Yes. It's 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper and holds 0.0387 troy ounces of pure silver.
- Where is the mint mark on an 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime?
- No mint mark. Struck in Philadelphia.
- Which Philadelphia dates near 1829 are scarcer?
- The 1832 at 965,000. So the 1829 is on the scarcer side for those years.
- How many 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime coins were made?
- 1,230,000.
What to check on your 1829
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Don't clean it. Cleaning leaves fine scratches and an unnatural shine that collectors avoid.
- Old coins pick up damage over a long life. Look for holes, bends, scratches or signs of cleaning before you judge the grade, because a damaged coin sells for a fraction of a problem-free one.
- Judge the grade under good light. Check the curls near Liberty's ear and the cap band, then the eagle's wing feathers.
Never clean it. Collectors pay strong premiums for original surfaces and natural toning on a date like this. A cleaned coin can lose half its value or more.
The story of the 1829
1829 was the first year of the Capped Bust Half Dime. Philadelphia struck 1,230,000 of them. In 1830 the figure was 1.2 million.
No other mint struck it for circulation that year, so every 1829 you find is from Philadelphia. In the whole series, its mintage sits closest to the 1830 (1,240,000) and the 1831 (1,242,700).
Only the 1837 and the 1832 have a lower mintage among Philadelphia's 9 Capped Bust Half Dimes.
The half dime returns (1829 to 1832)
After a gap of twenty four years, the half dime came back in 1829. The reason is not recorded, but a coin between the cent and the dime was clearly useful for small purchases. Chief Engraver William Kneass adapted John Reich's Capped Bust design, with Liberty in a cloth cap and an eagle on the reverse holding an olive branch and arrows. E PLURIBUS UNUM appears on a scroll above the eagle and the value is shown as 5 C. The coin is about 15.5 millimeters across and weighs 1.35 grams.
Unlike earlier half dimes, these were struck in a close collar from the start. The collar formed the reeded edge and gave each coin an even diameter and a neat beaded border. Philadelphia struck 1,230,000 in 1829, 1,240,000 in 1830 and 1,242,700 in 1831. Output dipped to 965,000 in 1832. Thirteen stars surround Liberty, seven on the left and six on the right.
These early dates are common for their age. They are a good way to own a Capped Bust half dime without hunting for a rarity. Check the date and look at the cap band for LIBERTY, which wears quickly. Then examine the eagle's feathers and the scroll. Watch for cleaning, scratches and holes. Collectors attribute the dies with Logan-McCloskey numbers. With Philadelphia the only mint, no coin of the type has a mint mark.
How to recognize it
Liberty faces left in a cloth cap with a band reading LIBERTY. Her curls fall below the cap and a clasp fastens the drapery at her shoulder. Thirteen stars surround her, seven on the left and six on the right, with the date below. The reverse shows an eagle with a shield on its breast, holding an olive branch and three arrows. E PLURIBUS UNUM is on a scroll above its head, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA runs around the top and 5 C. appears below. Struck in a close collar, the coin is about 15.5 millimeters across with a reeded edge, a raised rim and a ring of small beads inside it. There is no mint mark, since all were made at Philadelphia. The 5 C. is the quickest way to tell it from a Capped Bust dime, which reads 10 C.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Capped Bust Half Dime (1829–1837) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1829 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 1,230,000 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper |
| Weight | 1.35 grams |
| Diameter | 15.5 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Silver content | 0.0387 troy oz (1.205 g) |
| Designer | William Kneass, after John Reich |
Mintage: US Mint records as published in standard references, each figure checked against at least two independent sources. How we build these pages.