Bust Dime
Bust Dime
In 1796, the first ten cent coins were made for the United States. Bust Dime coins had the Draped Bust Liberty design on the obverse side, as other coins did at the time. This Liberty is so named because of the bit of robe visible around her chest and shoulders. She is also distinguishable from earlier coin depictions of Liberty due to her relatively orderly hair and seemingly triumphant (as opposed to harassed) appearance. On the reverse side of bust dime was another standard design: a small eagle, pictured hovering or flying above a cloud. The eagle was surrounded by a wreath, in turn bounded by the words “United States of America.” This design would soon undergo some revision. Just two years after the first dimes were minted, this eagle would be enlarged, reflecting America’s growing confidence as a young nation. Like other coins of the time, it was made of copper and silver.
The plan for bust dime was to add a star to the “head” side whenever America was joined by a new state. However, once the sixteenth star was put in, minters realized that Liberty was becoming a little cramped, and decided to keep the number of stars down to thirteen, representing the thirteen colonies that became the thirteen “original” states.
In 1808, there was a moratorium on all dime production, followed the next year by a design change. Early Dimes followed the course of other coins by later adopting the Capped Liberty design, in which Liberty wears a cloth headdress. The last Capped Liberty dime—and indeed, the last of the Early Dimes—was minted in 1837. As far as investments go, the Draped Bust dimes are quite good. Prices do not surge, but at least rise steadily.
Bust Dime Fair Market Values in U.S. Dollars (1796-1837)
| Date/Type | G4 | VG8 | F12 | VF20 | XF40 | AU50 | AU53 | AU55 | AU58 | MS60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draped Bust | ||||||||||
| **1796 | $2,850 | $3,510 | $5,310 | $7,250 | $12,340 | $18,130 | $18,750 | $19,690 | $21,250 | $26,880 |
| **1797 16 Stars | $2,970 | $3,660 | $5,440 | $7,440 | $12,810 | $18,440 | $20,000 | $21,880 | $24,690 | $29,810 |
| **1797 13 Stars | $3,060 | $4,230 | $5,690 | $7,690 | $13,130 | $19,190 | $20,440 | $22,500 | $25,630 | $31,880 |
| Heraldic Eagle | ||||||||||
| *1798/97 16 Star Rev. | $660 | $960 | $1,320 | $1,860 | $3,310 | $4,940 | $5,440 | $6,630 | $10,310 | $10,720 |
| **1798/97 13 Star Rev. | $2,400 | $3,330 | $5,100 | $7,020 | $13,750 | $28,130 | $35,630 | $44,380 | $56,250 | $64,380 |
| *1798 | $600 | $840 | $1,260 | $1,560 | $3,310 | $4,470 | $4,840 | $5,340 | $6,410 | $9,810 |
| *1798 Small 8 | $990 | $1,410 | $2,130 | $4,650 | $8,310 | $10,560 | $12,060 | $13,130 | $15,630 | $21,880 |
| *1800 | $690 | $1,020 | $1,590 | $2,250 | $4,440 | $6,190 | $9,060 | $11,090 | $16,880 | $25,000 |
| *1801 | $660 | $990 | $1,590 | $2,700 | $6,310 | $11,880 | $13,440 | $16,560 | $26,880 | $31,880 |
| **1802 | $1,500 | $2,130 | $2,640 | $4,380 | $9,690 | $13,750 | $15,630 | $23,560 | $31,880 | $37,500 |
| *1803 | $810 | $1,320 | $1,860 | $2,550 | $6,810 | $10,440 | $13,440 | $18,750 | $33,130 | $54,380 |
| **1804 | $3,150 | $5,530 | $11,560 | $24,560 | $39,380 | $68,130 | $76,880 | $99,380 | $187,500 | -- |
| *1805 | $660 | $920 | $1,260 | $1,470 | $2,560 | $3,910 | $4,220 | $5,060 | $5,810 | $6,940 |
| *1807 | $600 | $840 | $1,140 | $1,320 | $2,500 | $3,690 | $4,160 | $4,530 | $5,690 | $6,250 |
| Capped Bust | ||||||||||
| 1809 | $104 | $264 | $510 | $690 | $1,290 | $2,220 | $2,370 | $2,550 | $3,060 | $4,380 |
| 1811 over 9 | $138 | $210 | $360 | $510 | $1,170 | $1,530 | $1,620 | $1,720 | $1,860 | $2,840 |
| 1814 Small Date | $46 | $78 | $150 | $300 | $600 | $930 | $1,050 | $1,160 | $1,290 | $2,060 |
| 1814 Large Date | $35 | $54 | $74 | $180 | $510 | $660 | $730 | $930 | $1,020 | $1,470 |
| 1820 Large 0 | $32 | $42 | $54 | $150 | $390 | $588 | $640 | $690 | $780 | $1,020 |
| 1820 Small 0 | $39 | $56 | $77 | $228 | $480 | $610 | $650 | $780 | $1,170 | $1,380 |
| 1821 Small Date | $36 | $53 | $70 | $210 | $510 | $930 | $1,020 | $1,140 | $1,230 | $1,320 |
| 1821 Large Date | $35 | $46 | $60 | $168 | $450 | $640 | $670 | $750 | $850 | $1,050 |
| *1822 | $870 | $1,290 | $2,190 | $3,420 | $4,740 | $6,530 | $7,090 | $7,970 | $10,310 | $11,690 |
| 1823 3 over 2 | $33 | $53 | $61 | $110 | $390 | $570 | $600 | $690 | $1,020 | $1,320 |
| 1824 4 over 2 | $35 | $78 | $150 | $510 | $630 | $990 | $1,080 | $1,140 | $1,620 | $1,920 |
| 1825 | $32 | $42 | $50 | $113 | $408 | $570 | $600 | $650 | $870 | $1,020 |
| 1827 | $33 | $46 | $53 | $138 | $420 | $570 | $600 | $690 | $930 | $1,170 |
| 1828 Lg Date, Curl 2 | $71 | $150 | $222 | $366 | $660 | $1,350 | $1,710 | $1,920 | $2,340 | $2,790 |
| 1828 | $63 | $94 | $113 | $240 | $408 | $582 | $760 | $870 | $1,290 | $1,680 |
| Capped Bust Reduced | ||||||||||
| 1828 Reduced | $41 | $60 | $84 | $192 | $330 | $450 | $640 | $750 | $990 | $1,260 |
| 1829 | $31 | $42 | $60 | $102 | $258 | $390 | $450 | $480 | $570 | $810 |
| 1830 30 over 29 | $43 | $70 | $96 | $198 | $390 | $630 | $720 | $880 | $960 | $1,230 |
| 1830 | $30 | $40 | $44 | $80 | $264 | $360 | $390 | $480 | $540 | $750 |
| 1831 | $30 | $40 | $44 | $83 | $264 | $360 | $384 | $408 | $492 | $720 |
| 1832 | $30 | $40 | $46 | $82 | $258 | $372 | $390 | $408 | $480 | $710 |
| 1833 | $30 | $40 | $47 | $79 | $258 | $360 | $432 | $468 | $570 | $780 |
| 1834 | $30 | $40 | $43 | $84 | $270 | $378 | $396 | $450 | $480 | $710 |
| 1835 | $30 | $40 | $46 | $80 | $264 | $360 | $378 | $420 | $528 | $710 |
| 1836 | $30 | $40 | $46 | $88 | $270 | $346 | $384 | $408 | $540 | $710 |
| 1837 | $30 | $40 | $44 | $84 | $270 | $360 | $378 | $450 | $630 | $710 |
Bust Dime Coins on eBay
