Barber Quarter

Posted by Stephen Halkovic on November 18, 2011

Coin	Weight (g)	Composition	Silver Melt Value	Full Melt Value
Barber (1892-1916)	6.25	90% silver, 10% copper

4455045112 82c8ba5ecf z 300x300 Barber Quarter

1892 Barber Quarter NGC PR-65CAM (photo by Northern Lights Numismatics*)

The Barber Quarter was one of the United States “Barber” series of silver dimes, quarters, and half-dollars coins which were minted from 1892 to 1916. They got their name from the designer Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber.

In 1887 the United States’ Mint Director James P. Kimball requested the United States Congress to allow new designs to be created and struck. Kimball also proposed that America’s best artists would be asked to submit designs. In 1890 the United States Department of the Treasury asked ten well known artists to submit coin designs. However the artists’ prices were considered too high and they tried an open contest.

The judges were Barber, sculptor Augustus Saint Gaudens (who did the 1907-1933 twenty dollar ‘double eagle’ gold coin), and engraver Henry Mitchell. The designs received in 1891 were not adequate and the new Mint Director Edward O. Leech accepted Barber’s designs.

(Article continued below auctions...)

Auctions Close to Melt Values

1899 Barber / Liberty Head Silver Quarter
$2.04 (3 Bids)
Time Remaining: 11h 40m

1912, Barber Silver Quarter
$0.99 (1 Bid)
Time Remaining: 12h 26m

1899 Silver Barber Quarter
$5.00
Time Remaining: 14h 29m

1893 Silver Barber Quarter
$5.00
Time Remaining: 14h 29m

1909 Barber Quarter VF Silver
$3.18 (2 Bids)
Time Remaining: 15h

1902 Barber Quarter, 90% Silver
$3.18 (4 Bids)
Time Remaining: 16h 16m

1907-S SILVER Barber Quarter TOUGH! INV#133-13
$3.50 (2 Bids)
Time Remaining: 16h 52m

1899 BARBER HEAD QUARTER UP FOR AUCTION (HIGH QUALITY SILVER QUARTER))
$0.99 (1 Bid)
Time Remaining: 16h 57m

1899-O Barber Silver Quarter 25¢ **Better Date** Good #DM761
$0.99
Time Remaining: 17h 36m

(...Continued from above.)

The obverse has a Liberty head which looks similar to the Morgan dollar Liberty however it faces right and the hair is under a cap which has a laurel wreath tied with a ribbon at the back and a diadem with “LIBERTY” inscribed on it. The date is directly underneath with “IN GOD WE TRUST” encircling the top of the coin. There are six stars encircling the right and seven on the left of the coin.

They all have a reeded edge and composed of 90% silver and 10% copper. They all were struck out of either Philadelphia with no mint mark, New Orleans marked “O” (which closed for good in 1909), Denver with a “D” (opened in 1906), or San Francisco with an “S”.

4454264377 25149f0771 z 288x300 Barber Quarter

1892 Barber Quarter NGC PR-65CAM. Part of an original Proof Set from 1892 (photo by Norther Lights Numismatics*)

The Barber silver quarter dollar coin is 24.3mm in diameter weighing 6.25 grams. Its reverse has a bald eagle with wings and legs spread. The right talon clutches an olive branch and the left clutches thirteen arrows. In the beak is a ribbon with the inscription “E PLURIBUS UNIM”. If there is a mint mark it is directly below the tail. There is a field of thirteen stars above the eagle. “.QUARTER DOLLAR.” encircles the bottom of the coin and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” encircles the top.

There is one small variation during the first year in order to address a problem with the silver quarter coins falling when stacked. In 1892 the stack-resistant coins (variety 1) can be distinguished by the reverse; the “E” in “UNITED” is only half covered by the eagle’s wing tip (below the middle serif). The corrected coins (variety 2) have most of the “E” covered (the middle serif is covered). Starting during 1900 the wings tip extends past the “E” top.