History of the Barber Half Dollar
The Barber half dollar is also known as the Liberty Head half dollar. It was minted from 1892 until 1915 and was designed by Charles E. Barber. The average weight of the coin is 12.5 g. and is composed of 90% silver and 10% copper. It has a diameter of 30.6 mm with the reeded edge. The Mint Act of September 26, 1890, specified that coin designs could only be changed after they have been in use for 25 years. In 1891 dimes, quarters and half dollars became eligible for a redesign. Mint Director, J. P. Kimball wasted no time in changing the design of America’s coins.
Market Analysis
Barber half dollars are moderately collected and demand tends to be fairly steady. Therefore, values and prices for lower end circulated coins also tend to be fairly stable. If you want top dollar for your Barber half dollars, you need to sort them and organize them so the dealer can quickly see what you have.
Key Dates, Rarities, and Varieties
The following Barber half dollar in any condition, are worth considerable more than common Barber half dollars. As such, these coins are occasionally counterfeited or altered from common Barber half dollars. Therefore, before you start celebrating your new found fortune, have the following coins authenticated by a reputable coin dealer or third party grading service.
1892-O1892-S1893-S1897-O1897-S1904-S1914
Condition or Grade Examples
If your coin is worn and looks similar to the one illustrated in the link below, it is considered a circulated coin.
Photo of a Circulated Barber Half Dollar
If your coin looks similar to the one illustrated in the link below and has no evidence of wear due to being in circulation, it is considered an uncirculated coin.
Photo of an Uncirculated Barber Half Dollar
Mint Marks
Barber Half Dollars were produced at four different mints: Philadelphia (no mint mark), Denver (D), New Orleans (O) and San Francisco (S). As illustrated in the picture link below, the mint mark is located on the reverse of the coin, just below the eagles tail feathers and above the “D” in DOLLAR.
Photo of the Barber Half Dollar Mint Mark Location
Barber Half Dollars Average Prices and Values
The buy price is the average price that a coin dealer is charging to purchase the coin in the specified condition. while the sell value is what you can expect a dealer to give you when you sell the coin at his coin shop. These are approximate retail prices and wholesale values. The actual offer that you negotiate for a particular coin dealer will vary depending on the agreed upon grade of the coin and a number of other factors that determine its worth.
