1829 Capped Bust Half Dime. Image: Stack’s Bowers / CoinWeek.
By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime is the first half dime since 1805, the first with the William Kneass design, and the first to be struck with a close collar die.
The mintage of 1,230,000 pieces and the denomination’s spotty circulation history provided mid-19th century collectors ample opportunity to preserve Mint State examples. The issue remains readily available in About Uncirculated and Mint State grades.
Series experts Russell J. Logan and John W. McCloskey have catalogued 18 die marriages for the date. Three die marriages were used to strike Proofs.
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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens
Top Population: PCGS MS67+ (2, 8/2024), NGC MS67 (6, 8/2024), and CACG MS67 (4:0 stickered:graded, 8/2024).
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-1
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-1. Image: Heritage Auctions / CoinWeek.
Valentine-7. Rarity-2 as a business strike. On the obverse, stars 1, 12, and 13 point to gaps between denticles. Scroll aligned with the left serif of “E” of UNITED. Three pale gules in the shield. Some Proofs known.
PCGS MS67 #28948730: Heritage Auctions, June 5, 2014, Lot 4375 – $11,162.50.
NGC MS67 #576436-003: O’Connor Numismatics to Eugene H. Gardner, by sale, November 2003; “The Eugene H. Gardner Collection,” Heritage Auctions, June 23, 2014, Lot 30181 – $8,225. Dark blue, gold, and red target toning.
NGC MS67 #911933-005: Heritage Auctions, March 28, 2009, Lot 700 – $8,625. Light champagne hue.
NGC MS66 CAC #2037603-007: “Colonel” E.H.R. Green; Green estate to Eric P. Newman / B.G. Johnson, d.b.a. St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.; Eric P. Newman, $2.00; Eric P. Newman Education Society. As NGC MS66 CAC #2037603-007. “The Eric P. Newman Collection, Part II,” Heritage Auctions, November 15, 2013, Lot 33034 – $5,287.50. Newman novelty insert. Blue gold and rose toning. Thin diagonal marks across left obverse field.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-2
The Pogue 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-2. Image: Stack’s Bowers / CoinWeek.
Valentine-3. “9” recut as well as the “C” in AMERICA and the “C” of the denomination. This die was also used to strike the most plentiful 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime Proof die marriage, connected to the July 4, 1829 cornerstone ceremony during the construction of the Second Philadelphia Mint.
PCGS MS67+ #31385745: Richard Burdick, January 2009; “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection,” Stack’s Bowers / Sotheby’s, May 2015, Lot 1018 – $21,150. Deeply rainbow-toned. Beautiful and PQ.
NGC MS66 #3267605-001: Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2015, Lot 3734 – $2,937.50. Scattered bisque toning.
NGC MS66 #3171119-006: As NGC MS65* #3129290-001. Heritage Auctions, April 29, 2009, Lot 9 – $3,450. As NGC MS66 #3171119-006. Heritage Auctions, July 9, 2009, Lot 294 – $3,450. Upgraded by one point; “The Robert Craig Family Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 3, 2018, Lot 3304 – $2,880. Brilliant.
PCGS MS66 #06983281: Heritage Auctions, October 23, 2008, Lot 480 – $5,175. Blue, Green, and Rose toning.
NGC MS65PL #2037603-006: “Colonel” E.H.R. Green; Green estate to Eric P. Newman / B.G. Johnson, d.b.a. St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.; Eric P. Newman. As NGC MS65 #2037603-006. “The Eric P. Newman Collection, Part II,” Heritage Auctions, November 2013, Lot 33035 – $3,290. Newman novelty insert; Heritage auctions, September 2014, Lot 3916; As NGC MS65PL #2037603-006. Heritage Auctions, October 7, 2021, Lot 3090 – $3,360. Regraded. PL added.
PCGS MS65 CAC #21588503: Heritage Auctions, September 5, 2014, Lot 3915 – $2,820. Pearlescent brilliance with light rise toning.
NGC MS65 #3163987-003: Heritage Auctions, December 5, 2008, Lot 1032 – $2,530. Dark olive and blue toning.
PCGS MS65 #50142794: Heritage Auctions, May 5, 2005, Lot 6281 – $2,530. Dark antique orange hue.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-3
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-3. Image: Stack’s Bowers / CoinWeek.
Valentine-2. Three lines in each shield stripe.
NGC MS67: Stack’s Bowers, August 13, 2011, Lot 8211 – $7,475.
NGC MS66 #452436-004: Heritage Auctions, January 6, 2010, Lot 629 – $2,990. Beautiful blue, green, and red target toning.
PCGS MS66 #08888772: “The Troy Weisman Collection,” Heritage Auctions, September 14, 2006, Lot 1201 – $5,750. Troy Weisman Collection on insert. Pale green and gold toning.
NGC MS66 #1634031-003: Heritage Auctions, July 27, 2002, Lot 6566 – $1,995.
PCGS MS65 #31988325: Heritage Auctions, June 4, 2015, Lot 3417 – $2,115. Mottled toning throughout. Hint of peacock toning above date.
NGC MS64DPL #406815-001: Heritage Auctions, June 2, 2005, Lot 5688 – $4,887.50. Perhaps this is a Proof.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-4
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-4. Image: Heritage Auctions / CoinWeek.
Rarity-3.
NGC MS67 #3054055-001: Heritage Auctions, June 26, 2008, Lot 671 – $8,625. Mottled rainbow toning.
NGC MS65 CAC #2037603-009: “The Eric P. Newman Collection, Part II,” Heritage Auctions, November 15, 2013, Lot 33037 – $3,525. Scattered gold and brown toning. LM 4.2.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-5
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime Proof, LM-5. Image: Heritage Auctions / CoinWeek.
Valentine-6. Extra denticle between stars 9 and 10. Top of 1 is repunched. “E” of STATES is lower than the other letters. Some Proofs known.
PCGS MS66 #06693162: Heritage Auctions, August 12, 2010, Lot 4352 – $4,025. Light champagne hue. Diagonal hit at cap below star 7. Hit on cap above R.
NGC MS66 #3215703-005: Heritage Auctions, January 6, 2010, Lot 630 – $2,990. Attractive rainbow toning. Gold in the upper right field. Purple, blue, and green at date. Peacock green over eagle with orange and red periphery on the reverse.
PCGS MS66 #09602166: Heritage Auctions, August 13, 2006, Lot 783 – $5,462.50. Mottled olive and green toning.
NGC MS66 #657420-006: Heritage Auctions, June 29, 2005, Lot 5317 – $2,645. Dark golden-brown and blue toning throughout.
NGC MS65 #554411-002: Heritage Auctions, January 6, 2012, Lot 5390 – $2,760. Dappled olive toning with traces of peacock green along the periphery.
PCGS MS65 #18689901: Heritage Auctions, July 7, 2011, Lot 3355 – $2,593.25. Pale gold hue.
NGC MS65 #1853087-002: John J. Pittman; As NGC MS65 #688345-001. Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2006, Lot 2006 – $2,760. As NGC MS65 #1853087-002. Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2007, Lot 2467 – $2,760. Olive, magenta, and gold toning throughout.
PCGS MS65 #6467296: Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2004, Lot 5545 – $1,955; Heritage Auctions, March 25, 2004, Lot 5471 – $2,300. Grey and sea green toning.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-6
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-6.3. Image: Stack’s Bowers / CoinWeek.
Valentine-5. Rarity-5. Top of “1” is doubled. In terminal die state, the vertical die crack runs the length near the center of Liberty’s profile. Several beads from 12 o’clock to 3 o’clock blend with the rim. Die degradation below “UN” of UNITED and second “S” of STATES. “RI” touches.
NGC MS67: Stack’s Bowers, June 14, 2011, Lot 2232 – $7,015. Brilliant. LM-6.3.
NGC MS67: Stack’s Bowers, June 17, 2010, Lot 1727 – $6,905.75. Champagne hue. LM-6.3.
PCGS MS66 #06693162: Heritage Auctions, August 12, 2010, Lot 4352 – $4,025.
NGC MS66* #3126688-002: Heritage Auctions, May 28, 2008, Lot 14 – $4,887.50. Darkly toned in rose, green, and steel grey.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-7
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-7. Image: Heritage Auctions / CoinWeek.
Valentine-4.
PCGS MS65 #35687642: Heritage Auctions, August 14, 2018, Lot 3363 – $2,400. Dark rainbow toning.
PCGS MS65 #25049671: Heritage Auctions, March 21, 2013, Lot 3266 – $4,112.50. Brilliant centers with peachy gold peripheral toning. LM-7.1.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-8
Valentine-17.
NGC AU58 #3520696-004: Heritage Auctions, April 24, 2013, Lot 1631 – $11,750.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-9
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-9. Image: Stack’s Bowers / CoinWeek.
Rarity-5. Scarcest 1829 die marriage. Typically an EF or below. Remnant of mispunched “C” to the left of “C” in AMERICA. Obverse used in other varieties and has minor doubling in “9”.
NGC MS67* #3219778-001: Heritage Auctions, July 8, 2010, Lot 3432 – $8,625; Stack’s Bowers, August 15, 2018, Lot 1105 – $9,000; Heritage Auctions, October 11, 2018, Lot 3024 – $9,360. Fully brilliant with semi-PL surfaces, superior strike. Dark spot at 7 o’clock denticles.
NGC MS66 #5744367-007: Heritage Auctions, April 23, 2020, Lot 3302 – $2,220. Green and blue obverse toning. Red blob to the left of Liberty’s nose. Red and blue toning on the reverse.
NGC MS62 #656401-020: Stack’s, April 1981; Jules Reiver; Heritage Auctions, January 27, 2006, Lot 21969 – $977.50. JULES REIVER COLLECTION on insert. Green and orange toning throughout.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-10
The John McCloskey discovery example of the 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-10 variety. Image: Heritage Auctions.
Valentine-16. Rarity-5. “1” and “C” of AMERICA is recut. Vertical die crack through Liberty’s portrait. Rare above VF. This variety was discovered by John McCloskey in 1975.
NGC MS64: “The William A. Harmon Collection of U.S. Half Dimes,” Heritage Auctions, September 22, 2005, Lot 2010 – $1,092.50. Blue and violet toning throughout.
NGC AU50 CAC #6062255-014: John McCloskey, 1975 or before. As NGC AU50 CAC #6062255-014. “The John McCloskey Collection,” Heritage Auctions, February 6, 2022, Lot 45015 – $552. Discovery specimen.
NGC AU50 #3520696-006: Heritage Auctions, April 24, 2013, Lot 1630 – $822.50.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-11
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-11. Image: Heritage Auctions / CoinWeek.
Rarity-6. Variety discovered by J. Alan Bricker in 1988. In later die states, die cracks form on the obverse that run through stars 4 and 13; die chip through “N” in UNITED.
NGC AU53 #656404-002: Bowers and Merena, January 1990, lot 116 – $1,760; Jules Reiver, winning bidder. As NGC AU53 #656404-002. Heritage Auctions, January 27, 2006, Lot 21971 – $1,955. JULES REIVER COLLECTION on insert.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-12
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-12. Image: Stack’s Bowers / CoinWeek.
Valentine-10. Rarity-6. Die chip through 29. Stars 3 and 4 terminate close to the denticles. On the reverse, remnants of the serif from “C” are present between “C” and “A”.
PCGS MS64 #83205928: Stack’s Bowers, March 30, 2017, Lot 1186 – $2,820.
PCGS AU55 #9791843: Heritage Auctions, June 2, 2003, Lot 362 – $379.50.
NGC AU53 #3520696-005: Heritage Auctions, April 24, 2013, Lot 1629 – $3,055.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-13
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-13. Image: Heritage Auctions / CoinWeek.
LM-13.1: no die clash marks present. In LM-13.2 and later, clash marks are present on Liberty’s ear. Die clash mark above the eagle’s head. One Proof known from this die marriage.
PCGS MS67 CAC #06666539: “The Bender Family Collection,” Heritage Auctions, August 24, 2022, Lot 3724 – $12,600. Simpson-Bender on insert. Gold, russet, blue, and violet toning. LM-13.1.
PCGS MS66 #80468713: Stack’s Bowers, May 25, 2016, Lot 17 – $3,290. Olive toning with green and magenta toning along the periphery. Die cracks from cap to rim running between stars 6 and 7 and another between 8 and 9.
NGC MS65 #6835356-006: Heritage Auctions, March 31, 2024, Lot 7043 – $3,720. Blue, green, and rose target toning.
NGC MS65 #3604524-002: Heritage Auctions, April 22, 2015, Lot 3714 – $2,115.
PCGS MS65 #90039601: As PCGS MS65 #90039601. “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection, Part I,” May 2005, Lot 1019 – $5,287.50. Pogue novelty insert. Green and gold obverse toning. Bullseye toning on the reverse with gold and red center and green and steel blue toning along the periphery. LM-13.1.
PCGS MS65 #90039601: Heritage Auctions, March 25, 2004, Lot 5472 – $3,680.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-14
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-14. Image: Heritage Auctions / CoinWeek.
Valentine-9. Rarity-4.
PCGS MS62 #44235905: Stack’s Bowers, February 2, 2022, Lot 91145 – $660. Indigo and rose toning.
NGC MS61 #656404-007: Heritage Auctions, March 1996, Lot 14; Russel J. Logan, May 1996; Jules Reiver; “The Jules Reiver Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 27, 2006, Lot 21976 – $805. JULES REIVER COLLECTION on insert. Untoned.
ANACS MS61 #2757939: “The William A. Harmon Collection of United States Half Dimes,” Heritage Auctions, September 22, 2005, Lot 2006 – $488.75.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-15
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, LM-15. Image: Heritage Auctions / CoinWeek.
Valentine-8. Rarity-4. LM.2 was Struck in 1830 after the LM-2 die marriage was produced. Die clogged on the reverse.
ANACS AU55 #2935268: Heritage Auctions, February 19, 2007, Lot 7767 – $299.
ANACS AU53 #2744354: Stack’s, July 1990; “The William A. Harmon Collection of U.S. Half Dimes,” Heritage Auctions, September 22, 2005, Lot 2005 – $207. LM-15.2.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-16
Rarity-2.
NGC MS67* #5742399-007: Heritage Auctions, October 7, 2021, Lot 3489 – $10,200. Dark toning along the periphery. LM-16.1.
NGC MS64 #655088-001: Heritage Auctions, December 13, 2005, Lot 368 – $977.50. Dark rainbow toning.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-17
Rarity-4.
PCGS MS62 CAC #34292696: Stack’s Bowers, March 26, 2018, Lot 6171 – $660. Steel grey toning.
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime, Logan-McCloskey-18
Valentine-12.
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Design
Obverse:
Liberty faces left, wearing a softly folded mobcap (a woman’s headdress of the time) with the word LIBERTY around the base. Long curled hair extends from under the edge of the cap along the front and sides, cascading down Liberty’s neck and over her shoulder. Folded drapery wraps around the neck and down and across the bust, and is secured by a clasp above the shoulder. Thirteen six-pointed stars are arranged on both sides of Liberty, seven to the left and six to the right, all inside the beaded or denticulated border inside the raised smooth rim. The date is at the bottom.
Reverse:
The reverse displays a centered eagle, wings partially raised, clutching an olive branch in the sinister claw (viewer’s right) and three arrows in the dexter claw (viewer’s left). A shield is placed over the body of the eagle, and a concentric banner folded backward at the ends displays the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM above the eagle. The denomination 5 C. is at the bottom. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA follows along the top three-fourths of the coin inside the beads or denticles placed next to a raised smooth rim. All coins were minted in Philadelphia and display no mintmark.
Edge:
The edge of the 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime is reeded.
Coin Specifications
Country:
United States of America
Year of Issue:
1829
Denomination:
Half Dime (Five Cents USD)
Mintmark:
None (Philadelphia)
Mintage:
1,230,000
Alloy:
.8924 silver and .1076 copper
Weight:
±1.35 g
Diameter:
±15.50 mm
OBV Designer:
William Kneass (possibly adapted from a John Reich design)
REV Designer:
William Kneass (possibly adapted from a John Reich design)
Quality:
Business Strike
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