US Capped Bust Half Dime 1829 to 1837

Hi Carla -- The words on your cardboard holder are true. Well, sort of. All capped bust half dimes are rare. In fact 1835 is the most common date of old half dimes. What can make a half dime truly rare is the condition it is in. Most of the specimens that you see resemble our picture, or worse. At CoinQuest we call that 'worn.' But coin collectors have another word for it: 'fine.' If it were even more worn, coin collectors still don't give up. They would call it 'good.' You should see what a coin looks like when coin collectors call it 'poor!'

So, for half dimes, dates don't really matter, but condition does. Here is what the catalogs say about bust half dimes of all dates:

worn (like our picture): $30 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated (better than our picture): $120
well preserved: $350
fully uncirculated: $1000
capped bust dimes dated 1822 are very rare, cataloging at $2500 in average circulated condition

These are approximate catalog values which apply to coins that do not have problems, like scratches, spots, stains, nicks, bending, or cleaning. It is best to take your coin to a knowledgeable collector or a professional coin dealer for an in-person appraisal.

DO NOT CLEAN YOUR COIN. CLEANING RUINS VALUE.

Use our Important Terminology page to understand what 'catalog value' means.
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