Barber Dimes (1892-1916)
Mint Mark Information

No one at the US Mint was surprised when the public started voicing its boredom with US coinage, following more than a half century of the Seated Liberty theme.

After flirting with an open competition to develop new designs for the dime, quarter, and half dollar, Mint Director Edward Leech handed the job to Engraver Charles Barber.

For the obverse, Barber borrowed from the image of Lady Liberty on the Morgan Silver Dollar. The reverse was very much the same as Varieties 4 and 5 of the Seated Liberty Dime.

Barber’s detailed experience of the coining process led to a design well suited for mass production on a very large scale. Production of the Barber Dime commenced on January 2, 1892. Despite a mintage of more than 500 million over the next 25 years, most Barber Dimes (with some notable exceptions from the New Orleans Mint) are well struck.

In 1916, Barber coinage was swept aside in a big way. The same clamoring for something new that initiated its origin also set the stage for its demise. Bold, innovative designs for the 1916 dime, quarter, and half dollar had people all over the world commenting on the beauty of US coinage.

Barber Dime Obverse

Barber Dime Reverse

Barber Dime Mint Mark is located on reverse at bottom, below bow.

The following table lists the Mint Marks you might find on any Barber Dime:

Barber Dimes were made at the mother mint at Philadelphia, and three branch mints in Denver, New Orleans, and San Francisco. The Mint Mark, if any, is fairly easy to find, located on reverse at very bottom under the bow. The Barber Dime photos at right are the work of Heritage Auction Galleries and reproduced here with permission.

If someone were to ask us what Barber Dime would we recommend for the best potential for strong price increases in the future, the unhesitating answer would be the 1895-O.

Other than the incredibly rare 1894-S, this is the toughest key date Barber Dime to find. The 1895-O has been popular with coin collectors for more than a century, and this will not change anytime soon. Solid price advancements over a long period of time in the past are a preview of what we can expect in the years ahead.

The search box below is a gateway to eBay, and is coded to pull up all 1895-O Barber Dimes for sale that have been certified by the grading services with the best reputations: PCGS, NGC, ICG, and ANACS. The "View All" link will open up a new window and list the examples (if any) currently for sale on eBay, the behemoth of all coin sellers.

1895-O