to $3.72 Preparing, organizing, and planning all combine to improve results. Copyright 2023 JM Bullion. Instead of a design based on French coinage, it depicted a standing figure of Columbia, bearing a pileus (a crown fashioned from an olive branch) atop a liberty pole; an eagle spreading its wings stands behind her. The silver melt value for this coin is $1.80 as of April 30, 2023. [57][58] Redesign of the smaller gold pieces, Lincoln cent, and Buffalo nickel followed between 1908 and 1913. They were composed of approximately 89% silver and 11% copper and were larger than todays dimes. Following her fathers advice, she sold the other two in 1954 for a large sum of money. The placement of the mintmark on Barber quarters is a topic of interest. How Much is an 1916 Dime Worth? (Price Chart) - Something Borrowed Precisely 5,820,000 Barber dimes were struck in San Francisco in 1916. Leech, aged 38 at the time, had spent his career at the Bureau of the Mint, and was an enthusiastic supporter of redesign. Note the similarity of the reverse of this coin to the reverse of the Barber dime. Subscribe to the JM Bullion newsletter to receive timely market updates and information on product sales and giveaways. For more background information, see how value listings in the Coin Value Guide are determined. Widespread blending of outer edges of the wreath with rim indicated a lower condition and value coin. A mint mark of S, D, or O will appear below the wreath unless the coin was minted in Philadelphia; in this case, there will be no mint mark present. [47] One sold for $1,552,500 at auction in 2007. "[54] In 1894, the American Numismatic and Antiquarian Society, in conjunction with various artistic and educational institutes, began to advocate for better designs for U.S. coins, but no change took place in the remainder of the 19th century. Artist Kenyon Cox, one of the invited artists to the 1891 competition, stated, "I think it disgraceful that this great country should have such a coin as this. Finally, large quantities of lower grade Barber coins were melted for bullion when silver prices rose in 1979 and early 1980. Any fading of the wreath to the rim is minor and confined to one small part. On the Barber Dime, the mint mark can be seen on the bottom center of the reverse just below the bow at the base of the wreath encircling the inscription ONE DIME. On the Barber Quarter and Barber Half Dollar, mint marks are located just below the heraldic eagles tailfeathers and immediately above the central letters of the denomination QUARTER DOLLAR or HALF DOLLAR., Coin Collecting: Basics . What Does The "B" Mean on Barber Coins? - PCGS Steps Leading to Value: Step 1: Date and Mintmark Variety - The mint that struck a 1911 dime has an impact on its value. Surrounding her bust is the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the year the coin was made. The 1893 3 over 2 has a faint 2 behind the 3 on the date of the coin. Leech therefore turned to Barber, his chief engraver, to come up with the new designs. Mintmark location Coins.HA.Com 1883 "No Cents" and "Cents" Type The placement of the mintmark on Barber quarters is a topic of interest. The design reflected an English influence, and as artistic tastes changed over time, was increasingly disliked in the United States. Narrow the range of how much they are worth on value charts. Using the upper edges of leaves, grains of wheat and corn helps detect and wear. Any Barber dime with clear features to Liberty requires a close inspection. A coins design that differs from the normal issue of that type. These coins were designed by United States Mint chief engraver Charles Barber and the dimes were minted from 1892 to 1916. On the quarter and half dollar, the motto "In God We Trust" appears above her head; she is otherwise surrounded with 13 six-pointed stars and the date. [54], In 1915, a new Mint director, Robert W. Woolley, took office. What's the "W" Mark on Mercury Dimes? - PCGS [8][9] Among those who called for new coinage was editor Richard Watson Gilder of The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine. Any wear shows a change in color - a dulling - to the metal. CU | Where is the mint mark on a Barber dime? - Quick-Advices According to Nancy Oliver and Richard Kelly in their 2011 article for The Numismatist, the San Francisco Mint in June 1894 needed to coin $2.40 in silver left over from the melting of worn-out coins, just enough to coin 24 dimes. A step by step method is used to determine how much your coin is worth. This melt value is calculated from the current silver spot price of $25.05 per ounce. By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez - Out of this substantial sample, there was precisely one coin with the mintmark centered, an ANACS VF20: Sunnywood's Rainbow-Toned Morgans (Retired), Carl's Coins website w/ links to Carl's auctions, Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography. This placed the mintmark directly over the final "R" in QUARTER. As the Morgan dollar was then being heavily struck, the Mint director decided to leave that design unaltered for the time being. A coin in "Good" condition is worn almost smooth, the portrait of Liberty on the obverse and the wreath on the reverse show, but with little detail. 1911 Barber Dime Value | CoinTrackers The 1894-S rarely appears for sale on the market, and when one does, it sells for well over one million dollars. The price rises rapidly with grade. Most Valuable Dimes: Comprehensive List for Collectors - Gainesville Coins First task is recognizing higher quality dimes to further evaluate. Loops to the bow and trailing ribbons are all without any smoothing on a mint state example Barber dime. It seems many collectors today are reflexively intrigued by any coin with a "CC" mintmark. They proposed a competition with set fees for sketches and designs submitted by the invited artists, to be judged by a jury of their peers, and with the Mint committed to replace the Seated Liberty coins with the result. The early years of 1894 and 1895 are premium coins in all grades due to low mintages. Scarce issues are in particular demand; often these coins have low initial mintage numbers from the branch mints. 1912-D Barber Dime Woolley advocated the replacement of the silver coins when it was legal to do so, and instructed Barber and Morgan to prepare new designs. Key dates for the dime include the 1895-O (with the lowest mintage), 1896-S, 1897-O, 1901-S and 1903-S. For the quarter, key dates are the very low mintage 1896-S, 1901-S, and 1913-S issues, with the 1901-S particularly scarce. Mint mark, if any, appears below the bow at the . Proof coins were specially made by the mint and have very strong detail in the design, and the surfaces are mirror-like. He had Barber create experimental pattern coins. CoinTrackers.com has estimated the 1898 Liberty Head V Nickel value at an average of $4.50, one in certified mint state (MS+) could be worth $200. 1913 Dime: The Ultimate Collector's Guide - Coins and Bills Identify your coin with the image index and text links to coin series, from Cents to Gold. Barber dime values are based on several factors, with the minting location being a primary one. Judging a coin's condition is critical to understanding it true potential. ): Below are a few of the dimes with low mintage: The great rarity of the series is the 1894-S (San Francisco) Barber dime. These can be picked up for around $50 each in Good condition. The reverse utilized the heraldic eagle from the Great Seal of the United States, enclosed inside a thick oak wreath, with the required legends surrounding the rim. The 1894 S silver Barber Dime is one of the rarest and most valuable US coins ever made. Barber dimes are composed of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. Though there were over 300 submissions to the committee in charge of selection, only two were even awarded an honorable mention. On the dime, her head is surrounded with "United States of America" and the year. [11], Three days before the signing of the 1890 act, Barber wrote to the superintendent of the Philadelphia Mint, Oliver Bosbyshell, setting forth proposed terms of a competition to select new coin designs. The director ordered the Chief Engraver at the U.S. Mint, Charles Barber, to prepare the designs. From 1892 to 1909 when minting operations ceased, New Orleans produced over 48 million dimes. To judge the submissions, he appointed a jury consisting of Saint-Gaudens, Barber, and Henry Mitchell, a Boston seal engraver and member of the 1890 Assay Commission. [34], Barber's head of Liberty is purely classical, and is rendered in the Roman style. Total Weight: 2.5 grams. Only slight flattening of the raised parts of the loops and trailing ribbon ends has occurred. Converting grams to troy ounces - a Barber dime contains .072 ounces of pure silver. Liberty Head "V" Nickel Values and Prices - The Spruce Crafts I listed a coin once and received email from a fellow who, with the help of his club, had extensive research on all mm locations for all dates - at least what they have identified so far. These dimes can be valued at $4.63 if in good condition while one in extremely fine condition may fetch $135. Barber Silver Dime Mint Mark 3 Coin Set (US-580) | eBay Tthe Carson City Seated Liberty dimes struck from 1871 through 1874 are exceedingly rare. Morrill was a supporter of coin redesign and had in the past introduced bills to accomplish this; he felt, however, that this could not be done without an act of Congress. On December 11, Bosbyshell requested a delay in production to mid-January 1892 to allow the dies to be more thoroughly tested; Leech refused. Doug West (author) from Missouri on October 23, 2021: Only nine of the original 24 1914-S are known. In addition, these coins were only minted for a relatively short period of time and their silver content also adds to their attractiveness. [13] According to numismatist David Lange, the new coinage received mixed reviews: "while the general press and public seemed satisfied with the new dime, quarter dollar, and half dollar, numismatists were either mildly disappointed with the new coins or remained silent on the matter. On November 6, President Harrison and his Cabinet considered which of the designs to approve, and chose one without the clouds; the following day, Leech ordered working dies prepared. 1902 Barber Dimes Early Silver Dimes Mintage: 21,380,777 Minted at: Philadelphia (No Mint Mark) Designer - Engraver: Charles E Barber Metal Composition: 90% Silver - 10% Copper Diameter: 17.9 mm Mass / Weight: 2.5 grams What This Coin Looks Like (Obverse, Reverse, Mint Mark Location, Special Features, etc. for a common date coin in heavily worn "Good" condition. One of the keys to looking for repunched mint marks on coins is to check around the edges and inside loops of the mint marks for any signs of raised metal that wouldn't ordinarily be there. It designated that the piece was minted at the Carson City Mint in Nevada. Other submissions from the public also proved to be unsuitable. [16][30], It is uncertain when pattern dimes and quarters were struck, but this was most likely in mid-November 1891. Using mint year 1909 as an example, the Barber Dime you want to find is the 1909-S minted in San Francisco. As illustrated in the picture below, Barber positioned the mint mark on the reverse of the coin, near the bottom just below the bow in the wreath. Extremely Fine grade Barber dimes remain crisp and sharp in overall appearance. Although their circulation was significant, some coins are scarce nowadays. In MS 66 FB, one of these coins sold for about $18,000 . The coins design has been the subject of mixed reviews from both artists and the public. In addition to the trio of silver Barber coins, he also had to his name the circulating Liberty Nickel and many commemoratives that include the 1893 Isabella Quarter, 1900 Lafayette Dollar, 1903 Louisiana Purchase Exposition Gold Dollar, and the 1904 and 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition Gold Dollars. Each coin could thereafter be altered from the 25th year after it was first produced; for example, a coin first struck in 1892 would be eligible for redesign in 1916. https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/554591, Date by DateIn Depth Barber Dime Values1892 to 1916. Barber Dimes (1892-1916). Visit the in-depth page with close-up images and descriptions covers the process of grading. Type I quarters are rarer for each mint. I love the story of the girl using the coin to buy ice cream. Barber Dime (1892-1916) Value | JM Bullion Using mint year 1909 as an example, the Barber Dime you want to find is the 1909-S minted in San Francisco. The bird holds in its mouth a scroll inscribed "E Pluribus Unum" and in its right claws an olive branch; in its left it holds 13 arrows. Values of "bullion" quality dimes move up and down matching the price of silver and trade in bulk. In "Fine" condition all the letters to LIBERTY show on the headband and the reverse wreath shows some detail. Those who worked with Barber, and some collectors today, speculate that this was what Barber desired all along. These two series had five different coin combinations, depending on the mint mark. Breen, Walter. Most Valuable Dimes Worth Millions of Dollars | Work + Money Where is the mint mark on a Barber dime? - Answers I thought mintmarks were added at Philadelphia and then sent out to the branch mints. Aegis3, yes of course you are correct according to what is generally believed. Should you decide to sell use the worksheet as an invoice and packing slip when sending coins through the mail to dealers. By the late 1880s, there were increasing calls for the replacement of the Seated Liberty design, used since the 1830s on most denominations of silver coins. The committee met in June 1891 and quickly rejected all entries.[15]. The following excerpt from an article by David Lange of NGC corroborates this and provides further interesting information: CoolI always found the mint mark placement on Barber quarters interesting You Suck! They were minted between 1892 and 1916, though no half dollars were struck in the final year of the series. the Philadelphia Mint made 159,130,000 Mercury Dimes without mint marks. How Much is a Barber Dime Worth? (Price Chart) - Something Borrowed [16], Most of the artists conferred in New York and responded in a joint letter that they would be willing to participate, but not on the terms set. Lower leaves are losing the edges of some and blending with the hair. For the rest of the cities, "D" represented the Denver Mint, "S" represented the San Francisco Mint, and "O" represented the New Orleans Mint. Many collections are based on assembling date and mintmarks of all years of the Barber dime series. Composition 0.900 silver and 0.100 copper by weight. His obv[erse] was a mirror image of the Morgan dollar head, with much of Miss Anna Willess Williams'[b] back hair cropped off, the rest concealed within a disproportionately large cap. Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 18:46, silver prices rose in 1979 and early 1980, American Numismatic and Antiquarian Society, "Circulated Barber Half Dollars A Look Back at Two Decades of Specialization", "Mercury Dimes > Ch 1 > History of the Mercury Dime Series", "Barber's silver coinage: fun series to collect", CoinCommunity.com - US Barber Coinage Information, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barber_coinage&oldid=1139557364, This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 18:46. Mint Marks The United States Mint produced Barber Dimes at four different mints: Philadelphia (no mint mark), New Orleans (O), Denver (D) and San Francisco (S). However, that is simply my experience. To qualify at the mint state level the surface of the coin is free of wear. Mintmark "O" is on the reverse below the wreath. Dimes were minted here is all years other than 1894. Awarded 6/2008- 1901-O Micro O Morgan, 8/2008- 1878 VAM-123 Morgan, 9/2022 1888-O VAM-1B3 H8 Morgan | Senior Regional Representative- ANACS Coin Grading. [19], Art historian Cornelius Vermeule, in his work on U.S. coins, took a more positive view of Barber's coinage: "the last word as to their aesthetic merits has yet to be written. I was surprised to learn about all the different mintmark placements on these coins. Recognizing what sets a collector quality piece apart gives an insight into higher end Barber dime value. San Francisco mint struck Barber dimes for circulation for all years except 1894. 4 What is the most valuable Mercury head dime? Keep in mind that only a few dates in the series came with proof coins, but it was not the case with coins struck in 1929. A 1913-S Barber dime in merely Good (G-4) condition prices out around $36.00 and the value curve is exponential from there. This design had been created by Christian Gobrecht, an engraver at the United States Mint in Philadelphia, after a sketch by artist Thomas Sully, and introduced to U.S. coins in the late 1830s. [32] The reverse of the dime depicts a wreath of corn, wheat, maple and oak leaves surrounding the words "One Dime". The mint mark is below the wreath on the reverse. Therefore, the PCGS3000 should only be used as one guide to rare coin prices and historical price movements, and not as the sole source for determining the value or market history of a particular coin. Some letters are faint. Coin Values Discovery finds Barber Dime Value and All old US coin values. Except for the 1892, all the mintages are below 1000, making any proof Barber dime a rare coin. 1898 Barber Dime The composition of these coins is 90% silver and 10% copper. The mint mark on Barber dimes is located on the reverse (tails) side,. [48], Except for the 1894-S dime, there are no great rarities in the Barber series, as mintages were generally adequate to high. Barber Silver Dime Mint Mark Set - The Patriotic Mint You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Above the eagle are 13 five-pointed stars; it is surrounded by the name of the country and by the coin's denomination. Ambio, Jeff. Many collections are based on assembling date and mintmarks of all years of the Barber dime series. Current Silver Bullion Value: $1.83. [1][2], William Barber died on August 31, 1879, of an illness contracted after swimming at Atlantic City, New Jersey. The US minted the 1899 dime with no mint mark and also the 1899 O dime and 1899 S dime. Barber had designed a great many coins during his nearly 40 years as the chief engraver of the United States Mint. 1901 Dime | Learn the Value of This Silver Coin This placed the mintmark directly over the final "R" in QUARTER. [52] Earlier Barber halves are frequently separately graded for their obverse and reverse characteristics, as the reverse tended to wear faster. Enterprising fraudsters soon realized that the nickel and half eagle (or five-dollar gold piece) were close in size, and plated the base metal coins to pass to the unwary. The 1898 O dime is worth around $12 in good condition. High points of the design are easily disturbed and show a change in texture to the metal if wear is present. If the wreath remains robust with a solid texture and no signs of wear or discoloration, then your coin may potentially be in extremely fine condition. Eye pleasing coins are well received by collectors. The doubling is visible in the word UNITED.. Click here to Learn How to use Coin Price Charts. Of course, you will want to compare all other details on the coin as well such as the date, mint mark and other imagery. [50][51] Thus, although most dates are easily obtainable, many are scarce in higher and uncirculated grades. When minted total weight of a dime is 2.5 grams - 90% of weight is silver at 2.25 grams. Is the 1898 Barber dime still in circulation? Charles E. Barber was born in London in 1840. The first Barber coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint on January 2, 1892, at 9:00a.m. By the end of the day, all three denominations had been coined. Martin wrote in the American Journal of Numismatics, "The general effect is pleasing, of the three the Dime is to many the most attractive piece.