1835 Small Date, Small 5C Capped Bust Half Dime

The 1835 Small Date, Small 5C is the fourth and final variety in the year's set of combinations. Both the date and the denomination marking use the compact punches, giving the coin the smallest overall digit size among the four 1835 varieties. Specialists consider this the scarcest of the four, though the margin is not dramatic and all four are collectible within the broader 1835 population.

The combination is visually subtle. At a casual glance, the 1835 Small Date, Small 5C looks like any other 1835 half dime. The diagnostic features require careful measurement against reference coins or certification-service attribution. A complete 1835 variety set (Large/Large, Large/Small, Small/Large, Small/Small) makes for an interesting four-coin study in how the Mint used punches interchangeably during die preparation.

The 1835 year as a whole represents the peak of the Capped Bust half dime series in terms of variety complexity. No other year produced as many sub-types, and the Large/Small distinction would not be repeated in subsequent years as the Mint standardized its punch selection.