Barber Quarters (1892-1916)

The Barber Quarters (1892-1916) has no major rarities, except for 1896-S, 1901-S, and 1913-S. Almost 265 Million coins were minted from 1892 to 1916.

Designer: Charles E. Barber

Composition: .900 Silver, .100 Copper

History
In 1887, James Kimball, the Mint Director, thought they needed new coinage. The previous coinage, the Liberty Seated series hadn't had any major renovations to the design since 1837. A bill was approved on September 26, 1890. There was a contest



for the best design. Charles Barber, Augustus Saint Gaudens, and Henry Mitchell were the judges. The contest did not fare well, ending up in a disaster. Charles Barber got what he

wanted all along. He was chosen to create the new coinage. The Barber Quarter, as adopted in 1892, shows a

bust of Liberty similar in style to the Morgan Dollar but facing right. She is wearing a Liberty cap with a laurel wreath, and a ribbon ties her hair in the back of her neck. IN GOD WE TRUST appears above her head, and the date appears below. Six stars on the left and seven stars on the right represent the original thirteen colonies. The reverse imitates the Great Seal of the United States and depicts an eagle with outstretched wings, holding an olive branch with thirteen leaves in its right claw and a sheaf of 13 arrows in its left. There is a ribbon with the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM being held in the eagle's beak and thirteen stars are in the field. The designers initial (B) is at the base of Liberty's neck. The first Barber Quarters were minted in January 1892. The coins did not stack well, a problem with the relief of the coin. The Mint fixed this problem making a variety for 1892. Type 1 has the eagle's wing covering the letter "E" in UNITED. Type 2 has the eagle's wing not covering the "E". Type 3 (Post 1900) had the wing going beyond the "E" in UNITED. The Mint Mark can be found under the eagle on the Reverse. They were minted in Philadelphia (1892-1916), San Fransico (1892-1915), New Orleans (1892-1909), and Denver (1906-1916). The Barber Quarters circulated into the 1950's.

Year-By-Year Guide
1892-8,236,000

1892-O-2,460,000

1892-S-964,079

1893-5,444,023

1893-O-3,396,000

1893-S-1,454,535

1894-3,432,000

1894-O-2,852,000

1894-S-2,648,821

1895-4,440,000

1895-O-2,816,000

1895-S-1,764,681

1896-3,874,000

1896-O-1,484,000

1896-S-188,039

1897-8,140,000

1897-O-1,414,800

1897-S-542,229

1898-11,100,000

1898-O-1,868,000

1898-S-1,020,592

1899-12624,000

1899-O-2,644,000

1899-S-708,000

1900-10,016,000

1900-O-3,416,000

1900-S-1,858,585

1901-8,892,000

1901-O-1,612,000

1901-S-72,664

1902-12,196,967

1902-O-4,748,000

1902-S-1,524,612

1903-9,759,309

1903-O-3,500,000

1903-S-1,036,000

1904-9,588,143

1904-O-2,456,000

1905-4,967,523

1905-O-1,230,000

1905-S-1,884,000

1906-3,655,760

1906-D-3,280,000

1906-O-2,056,000

1907-7,132,000

1907-D-2,484,000

1907-O-4,560,000

1907-S-1,360,000

1908-4,232,000

1908-D-5,788,000

1908-O-6,244,000

1908-S-784,000

1909-9,268,000

1909-D-5,114,000

1909-O-712,000

1909-S-1,348,000

1910-2,244,000

1910-D-1,500,000

1911-3,720,000

1911-D-933,600

1911-S-988,000

1912-4,400,000

1912-S-708,000

1913-484,000

1913-D-1,450,800

1913-S-40,000

1914-6,244,230

1914-D-3,046,000

1914-S-264,000

1915-3,480,000

1915-D-3,694,000

1915-S-704,000

1916-1,788,000

1916-D-6,540,800

Resources
Coin Community Family (Information)

PCGS Photograde (Photo)