INDEX
A Capped Bust Dime contains 0.0773 troy oz of silver — about $4.66 at today's silver price.
Spot price as of July 22, 2026
About This Series
The Capped Bust dime ran from 1809 to 1837, struck only at the Philadelphia Mint for almost its entire run. John Reich designed the obverse. The 1822 is the key date, with under 100,000 struck and very few surviving in any condition. Large and small denominator varieties of "10C" attract variety collectors. The coins were 89.2% silver until 1837, when the alloy changed to 90%. Most examples come well-worn from commerce; examples in Very Fine or better for most dates are meaningfully scarce. A complete set by major varieties is a long-term project even for well-funded collectors.
Specifications
1809–1837
- Composition
- 89.24% Silver, 10.76% Copper
- Fineness
- 89.2%
- Weight
- 2.70 g
- Diameter
- 18.8 mm
- ASW
- 0.0773 oz
- Years Produced
- 1809–1837
Melt Value
Based on silver spot price of $60.29/oz
Spot price as of July 22, 2026
Mintage by year and mint
“Low mintage” marks a year at or below 10% of the median business-strike mintage for its own denomination; “Scarce for the series” marks one above 10% and at or below 25%. The median here is 516,250. That is a statement about how many were struck, not about how many survive or what collectors pay.
| Year | Mint | Business strikes | Proof | Relative mintage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1809 | Philadelphia | 51,065 | Not listed by NGC | Low mintage |
| 1811 | Philadelphia | 65,180 | Not listed by NGC | Scarce for the series |
| 1814 | Philadelphia | 421,500 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1820 | Philadelphia | 942,587 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1821 | Philadelphia | 1,186,512 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1822 | Philadelphia | Not published by NGC | Not published by NGC | |
| 1823 | Philadelphia | 440,000 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1824 | Philadelphia | Not published by NGC | Not published by NGC | |
| 1825 | Philadelphia | 410,000 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1827 | Philadelphia | Not published by NGC | Not published by NGC | |
| 1828 | Philadelphia | Varieties reported separately | Not published by NGC | |
| 1829 | Philadelphia | 770,000 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1830 | Philadelphia | 510,000 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1831 | Philadelphia | 771,350 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1832 | Philadelphia | 522,500 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1833 | Philadelphia | 485,000 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1834 | Philadelphia | 635,000 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1835 | Philadelphia | 1,410,000 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1836 | Philadelphia | Not published by NGC | Not published by NGC | |
| 1837 | Philadelphia | Not published by NGC | Not published by NGC | |
| Mintages as published by NGC Coin Explorer, 2026-03 snapshot. Covers 1809–1837. NGC Coin Explorer does not list every date and mint, so this is what it publishes rather than a complete census. A further 1 listing it does publish is omitted here because NGC Coin Explorer records no single striking mint for it. | ||||