Capped Bust Dimes

Mistercoinman · July 25, 2026 3:52PM

Hi everyone been missing for a few years but I think I’m going to return and construct a new set. Looking for any members to offer advise or directions on what site other than PCGS that I should be looking at, or to purchase coins. Im looking for better grades xx 45 thru Au58 to start. Thanks in advance everyone

winesteven · July 25, 2026 8:08PM

I’m mostly done with my Capped Bust Dime set. A hotlink appears below. Still looking for some major varieties, and always looking for upgrades I can afford. Here’s what I’ve learned over the past few years:

Unlike all of my other sets (my collection is very broad), with Capped Bust Dimes my criteria for eye appeal goes out the window. With each of my other sets, I was able to be picky, knowing with time, a coin for a slot would eventually come along that met my eye appeal needs. However, with CBD’s, the pop that straight grades for every date is typically much lower than for my other series. Separately, for me, my grading skills are poor. So I made a decision for my collection to value the opinion of CAC. Yes, they are not perfect, as they are human too. But for the most part, if they say a coin is solid for the whole grade number on the label, that gives me comfort. Additionally, they won’t sticker coins which have had certain surface treatments that the TPG’s find acceptable, but in the opinion of CAC, are not acceptable. That personal requirement (by choice) reduces the pops even more!
I fell into the rabbit hole of filling slots for the 30 coin variety Registry set as well as the 36 coin variety Registry set. I strongly recommend you focus just on the main 20 coin Registry set. This way, with fewer coins, you might be in a position to afford slightly higher grades.
No doubt other knowledgeable people with this series will disagree with me, and that’s ok. Listen to everything you hear with an open mind!
While most of my CBD’s were obtained from auctions at GC, Heritage and Stacks, several from eBay, and a couple from DLRC, I strongly suggest you establish relationships with @Sunshine Rare Coins (David) and with @Desert Moon (Alan). They’ve each found coins for me for my CBD sets, but more importantly, they can each mentor you with unbiased advice for your set of CBD’s. Additionally (see #5 below), when you upgrade a coin, they are usually willing to accept your replaced coin on consignment at very fair terms.
Being pops are relatively low, if a “nice” coin comes along in a lower grade than my ideal/target grade, I get it, since I never know when a nice coin in a higher grade will come along. It may be MANY years! Who knows? If a nice upgrade comes along that I feel I can afford, I buy that, and then consign my dupe as noted in #4 above. Yes, I often take a small loss when selling that dupe, but I look at that loss “as the rent I paid for having that coin fill that slot for that period of time until the upgrade came along!”
Collect what and how YOU like. There is no right or wrong way to collect. Most of all, have fun, and enjoy the hunt.

Here’s a hotlink to my 20 coin set, Current rank #5:

https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/half-dimes/early-dimes-major-sets/capped-bust-dimes-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1809-1837/publishedset/357011

I hope you found this helpful!

Steve

Mistercoinman · July 26, 2026 6:04AM

I appreciate your input and your set is remarkable. I completed the set once and sold it to David Lawerence and have regretted it everyday since. My set was not as lovely as yours but was getting close. Your post has given me new excitement about moving forward! Thanks

DDR · July 29, 2026 1:49PM

Good advice, @winesteven I've dabbled in the series a little. I like your set.

Capped Bust Dimes

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