Saturday 19th May 2012

Liberty Head "Barber" Half Dollar 1892 - 1915

In his annual report for 1887, Mint Director James P. Kimball pointed out the "popular desire for an improvement of the coinage in respect to the present designs." But, the Treasury Department was already holding large stores of silver coins, no action was taken until 1890. Finally, in 1890 the inventories of older halves and quarters dropped to the point where production seemed likely to resume. This seemed a more likely oppertunity to redesign these coins. Three coins seemed likely candidates, the half dollar, the quarter dollar and the dime.

Kimball wanted to hold a competition were ten outstanding artists would offer designs. Unfortunately, these artists got together and made a number of unacceptable demands. The Treasury turned them down and instead conducted a contest open to one and all. This produced some 300 entries, but nothing deemed usable on the coinage. Chief engraver Charles Barber was instructed to develop a new design.

Vital Stats. Designer: Charles E. Barber Weight: 12.5 grams Diameter: 30.6 millimeters Edge: Reeded Content: 90% silver 10% copper Mint Mark Location: Below the eagle's tail on the reverse. Liberty Head Mintage

Liberty Head 'BARBER' Half Dollar Barbers portrait of Liberty facing right is similar to George Morgan's design on the dollar. Around the Liberty cap is a laurel wreath tied by a bow. She has a small band in the front which displays the word LIBERTY. Inside the rim are the words IN GOD WE TRUST, the date at the bottom, with thirteen six-point stars, six to the left and seven to the right. The reverse displays a eagle with outstretched wings and legs, the left claw clutching an olive branch and the right a bundle of arrows. The eagles beak holds a ribbon with E PLURIBUS UNUM on it. Around the rim are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA at the top QUARTER DOLLAR at the bottom. There are hirteen five-point stars above the eagle.

Barber half dollars were struck a total of 24 years and in 73 different date-and-mint combinations. Scarce dates include 1892-O, 1892-S, 1893-S, 1896-S, 1901-S, 1904-S and from Philadelphia 1913, 1914 and 1915. There are no extreme rare dates, although the 1892-O with a "Micro O" mintmark has only a few dozen known examples.

When grading this design, the points on the obverse that will first show wear are the cheek and the hair below LIBERTY; on the reverse, check the eagle's head and the tips of the tail and wings.

In 1916, the Barber coin was replaced by a new half dollar, the "Walking Liberty" type was issued.