1828 Capped Bust dime: Two Standards in One Year and Change

The 1828 Capped Bust dime sits at a fascinating crossroads in American coinage history – a single year that produced two distinct coin types, separated by a technological leap that changed how dimes were made forever. While our site’s existing guides cover Mercury dimes from the 1919-1944 era and Barber dimes from the early 1900s, this article goes deeper into the early republic, examining the die varieties, design details, and collector strategies that make the 1828 issue genuinely unique among U.S. silver dimes.

If you’ve inherited one of these coins, found it in an old collection, or are actively hunting early American silver, understanding what separates a common circulated piece from a condition rarity worth thousands starts with knowing exactly what you’re looking at. This guide delivers that knowledge.

A Coin Born From Two Eras: The 1828 Transition

The 1828 Capped Bust dime is the only U.S. dime issue that spans two manufacturing standards within a single year. Before 1828, the Mint struck dimes using screw presses with open collars – a method that left edge reeding uneven and allowed slight diameter variations from coin to coin. Starting in 1828, Chief Engraver William Kneass adapted the design for steam-powered presses and close collars, which applied reeding mechanically during the strike itself.

The result: two types from the same year, the same Philadelphia Mint, and the same basic design. The Large Size (sometimes called Wide Border) continues the 18.8-19mm format used since 1809. The Small Size (Narrow Border) settles into 18.5mm with tighter, more uniform construction. Both weigh 2.7 grams at 89% silver and 11% copper – a composition that puts silver content at roughly 0.0772 troy ounces per coin.

At today’s silver spot price of about $83 per ounce, the raw melt value lands around $6.40. But collector premiums on these coins dwarf that figure by a factor of ten to several hundred, depending on variety and grade.

John Reich’s Design: What the 1828 Capped Bust Dime Actually Shows

John Reich introduced the Capped Bust design on half dollars in 1809 before it migrated to dimes. By 1828, the design had been in use on dimes for nearly two decades, and its details were well-established.

Obverse: Liberty faces left, wearing a soft Phrygian cap secured by a fillet band inscribed “LIBERTY.” Thirteen stars surround the portrait – hand-punched into each die individually, which explains why star placement varies across die marriages. The date appears at the base.

Reverse: A heraldic eagle dominates the center, clutching an olive branch in its right talon and three arrows in its left. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” arcs above the eagle, and “10 C.” appears below. A beaded border frames the design.

The hand-punching of stars and dates into individual dies is what creates the variety market collectors study today. No two die marriages are perfectly identical, and that variation is the whole point of variety collecting in this series.

Large Date vs. Small Date: The Two Major 1828 Varieties

Every 1828 Capped Bust dime falls into one of two camps based on date size and the shape of the “2” in the date. This is the first and most important diagnostic every collector needs to master.

Identifying the Large Date (Curl Base 2): Look at the “2” in the date under magnification. The foot of the numeral curves back like a hook or scroll – a rounded, curling terminus. The overall date numerals appear larger and sit closer to the surrounding stars. Diameter runs 18.8-19mm. Edge reeding on these pieces was applied manually before striking and can appear slightly irregular.

Identifying the Small Date (Square Base 2): The “2” has a flat, block-like foot with a sharp upward serif. Numerals are smaller and more tightly spaced. Diameter is approximately 18.5mm. Reeding is machine-applied and consistent around the full edge.

A 10x loupe is all you need to make this call on most coins. Even on heavily worn examples, the base of the “2” retains enough detail to distinguish the types.

Die Marriages and JR Numbers: Going Beyond Type Collecting

Within the Large Date and Small Date categories, researchers have catalogued multiple die marriages – specific pairings of obverse and reverse dies. These are designated by JR numbers (from the John Reich Collectors Society attributions).

Large Date marriages run from JR-1 through at least JR-6. Each marriage shows subtle differences in star placement, die polish lines, and positional relationships between design elements. Small Date marriages begin at JR-7 and continue from there.

Die state matters too. Early die state coins show crisp, sharp details. Late die state examples may show die cracks, clash marks, or weakness in specific areas. Collectors who focus on die state progression build sets that tell the story of a specific die marriage from first strike to last – a pursuit that’s entirely different from the date-and-mintmark collecting approach covered in our Mercury dime guides.

Our complete Mercury dime collection guide covers the 1916-1945 series if you want a comparison point for how later dime collecting differs from this early American era.

PCGS & NGC Coin Verification – Accurate Precious Metals Refineries

Pricing the 1828 Capped Bust Dime: Grade and Variety Drive Value

Melt value establishes a floor, not a ceiling. With silver at $83 per ounce, that floor is around $6.40. The actual market for 1828 dimes operates in a completely different range.

The Large Date commands stronger premiums in Mint State because surviving examples are dramatically scarcer. PCGS population data shows fewer than a handful of MS-graded Large Date specimens across all die marriages combined. The Small Date is more available in circulated grades but still semi-scarce in true Uncirculated condition. MS63 examples are the typical ceiling for what enters the market; genuine Gems (MS65+) are genuinely rare for either type.

Die variety attribution adds 20-50% to prices at auction when the specific JR marriage is confirmed on a slab. NGC’s April 2026 price guide places circulated examples in the $80-$3,850 range, consistent with the Greysheet data.

Compare this to the broader precious metals market: gold runs about $4,859 per ounce right now, platinum around $2,109, and palladium near $1,580. Early American silver coins like the 1828 dime offer a different kind of value proposition – one tied to numismatic scarcity rather than raw metal content, and historically less correlated to spot price swings than bullion products.

How to Collect the 1828 Capped Bust Dime Strategically

Building a meaningful 1828 set requires a plan. Here are practical approaches based on budget and collecting goals.

Authentication matters enormously in this series. Worn early American silver is frequently cleaned, whizzed, or artificially toned. Avoid raw coins from unknown sources unless you can examine them in hand. PCGS and NGC slabs provide a meaningful layer of protection – not a substitute for your own knowledge, but a useful baseline.

Natural toning on genuine examples often shows blue, gold, or russet hues that developed over 190+ years. Artificial toning tends to look patchy or chemically uniform. When in doubt, get a second opinion before paying a premium for toning.

The 1823 Capped Bust half dollar 19 article on our site covers die variety attribution in the broader Capped Bust series – useful context if you’re expanding into related issues.

Common Mistakes Collectors Make With the 1828 Dime

The most common error is treating the 1828 dime as a single issue. Dealers who don’t specialize in early American coinage sometimes mislabel Large Date coins as Small Date or miss variety premiums entirely. That works in your favor if you’ve done the homework – underattributed coins at general coin shows represent real buying opportunities.

Understanding broader dime values across the series helps put the 1828 issue in perspective relative to later 19th and 20th century dimes.

The 1828 Dime in the Context of Early American Silver

The 1828 Capped Bust dime exists within a sparse production history. The Philadelphia Mint produced no dimes at all in years like 1810, 1812-1813, and 1816-1819. Spanish reales circulated alongside American coinage because domestic silver supply was inconsistent and foreign coins remained legal tender. The 125,000-coin mintage for 1828 sounds modest by modern standards – it was genuinely low even then.

That scarcity at the source, combined with 196 years of attrition through circulation, loss, and melting, explains why original-surface examples in any grade above Good are genuinely hard to find. The coins that survived did so largely because they left circulation early – either saved as keepsakes or set aside by early collectors who recognized their historical weight.

The 1792 Half Disme 18 – America’s first silver coin – provides useful background on just how early the U.S. Mint was experimenting with silver denominations before the Capped Bust era solidified the designs.

Selling or Appraising Your 1828 Capped Bust Dime

If you have an 1828 Capped Bust dime and want to know what it’s actually worth, the first step is accurate identification – Large Date or Small Date, and ideally the specific JR marriage. A coin that looks like a $100 circulated piece might be a $500 coin once properly attributed.

Accurate Precious Metals has been buying and evaluating coins like this for over 12 years from our Salem, Oregon location. We’re an NGC Authorized Dealer, which means we can submit coins for professional grading – a meaningful advantage when you’re dealing with early American silver where attribution directly affects value. Our team evaluates metal content through XRF analysis and inspects coins thoroughly before making offers.

If you’re local to Salem or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, visit us in person at our Salem location. We’ll assess your coin on the spot and explain exactly what you have. If you’re anywhere else in the United States, our mail-in service makes the process simple – free insured shipping, GIA-certified appraisals where applicable, and fast payment. There’s no reason to leave money on the table by selling to a generalist buyer who won’t recognize the variety premium on a Large Date example.

We buy all forms of precious metals – numismatic coins, bullion, scrap silver, jewelry, and more. Whether your 1828 dime is a well-worn G4 or a near-Mint survivor, we want to see it. Visit our sell to us page to start the process or call us at (503) 400-5608.

For collectors looking to add rather than sell, our numismatic coin inventory includes early American and U.S. type coins. Inventory changes regularly, so check back or reach out directly for specific requests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Greysheet – Bust Dime Pricing and Population Data
2. CoinWeek – Capped Bust Dime Die Varieties and History
3. APMEX Learn Center – Capped Bust Dime Overview
4. PCGS CoinFacts – 1828 10C Large Date (Coin #4506)
5. PCGS CoinFacts – 1828 10C Small Date (Coin #4510)
6. NGC Coin Explorer – 1828 Capped Bust Dime Pricing Guide