The Barber Half Dollar was launched along with the similarly designed dime and quarter dollar of the same name in 1892. The series lasted until 1915, after which it was replaced by the Walking Liberty Half Dollar. The Barber Half was minted at four different mints, including the Philadelphia, Denver, New Orleans, and San Francisco facilities. Although there are some lower mintage dates, there is no traditionally key date Barber Half as most coins are available in circulated grades. Some major rarities do exist in gem grades and higher, which can be difficult to acquire for some years. The coins share the common 90% silver composition or “coin silver” used for circulating silver coins of the era.
Barber Half Dollar Coin Specifications
| Dates: |
1892-1915 |
| Mints: |
Philadelphia |
|
Denver |
|
New Orleans |
|
San Francisco |
| Composition: |
90% silver |
|
10% copper |
| Weight: |
12.50 grams |
|
0.40 ounces |
| Diameter: |
30.61 mm |
|
1.21 inches |
halves barber
Barber Quarters were issued from 1892 to 1916. This new design replaced the Seated Liberty Quarter, which had been in place for over fifty years. The Barber Quarter was designed by Charles E. Barber. The obverse of the coin features a rendition of Liberty wearing a Phygian cap. The reverse features an eagle symbolizing the nation’s might. The eagle holds a bundle of arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other. Over the course of the Barber Quarter series, coins were minted at Philadelphia, Denver, New Orleans, and San Francisco. There are three key date commonly associated with the series. These are the 1896-S, 1901-S, and 1913-S coins.
Barber Quarter Coin Specifications
| Dates: |
1892-1916 |
| Mints: |
Philadelphia |
|
Denver |
|
New Orleans |
|
San Francisco |
| Composition: |
90% silver |
|
10% copper |
| Weight: |
6.25 grams |
|
0.20 ounces |
| Diameter: |
24.26 mm |
|
0.96 inches |
quarters barber
The Barber Dime was issued from 1892 to 1916, replacing the long running Seated Liberty Dime. The coin was designed by Charles E. Barber and features a rendition of Liberty facing left and wearing a Phygian cap. The reverse features an agricultural wreath bordering the denomination in the center. During the run of the Barber Dime series, coins were produced at the Philadelphia, Denver, New Orleans, and San Francisco Mints. The scarcest coin is the 1894-S, which reportedly only had 24 coins produced. The coins were struck in the 90% silver composition that had been used for the previous design.
Barber Dime Coin Specifications
| Dates: |
1892-1916 |
| Mints: |
Philadelphia |
|
Denver |
|
New Orleans |
|
San Francisco |
| Composition: |
90% silver |
|
10% copper |
| Weight: |
2.50 grams |
|
0.08 ounces |
| Diameter: |
17.91 mm |
|
0.71 inches |
dimes barber