Coin specifications and design
Design identification
Obverse: Liberty bust portrait.
Reverse: Heraldic eagle with shield, olive branch, arrows, and the denomination 5 C below.
U.S. Mint coin reference
Capped Bust Half Dime
Early U.S. half dime type reference.
Capped Bust Half Dime history
The Capped Bust half dime returned the five-cent silver denomination to production in 1829 after more than two decades without regular half dime coinage. Its design followed the Capped Bust style already used on larger silver denominations, with Liberty on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse. The series was short-lived but includes several date and denomination-size varieties popular with specialists. It ended in 1837 as the Mint transitioned to the Liberty Seated design and revised silver coinage standards.