Barber Silver Quarter Coins - Head Of Liberty Coin

Barber Quarters

Barber Quarter Coins

The odd story of Barber Quarter Coins

The Barber silver quarter was in production from 1892 to 1916. The value of these coins is heavily determined by their condition, in addition to their year and mint mark. A Good quality barber silver quarter minted in 1893 might be worth $9 or $10, while an Extremely Fine quality coin of the same year could be worth $110. Rarer dates could be worth even more, especially if the quality is very high.

On the obverse of the Barber quarter is the head of Liberty, a woman wearing a laurel wreath and a small headband reading “liberty”, facing right. Above her head is the text “In God We Trust”, and below is the date of minting. There are thirteen stars representing the thirteen original colonies, with six on the left and seven on the right. The reverse takes after the Great Seal of the United States, featuring an eagle carrying an olive branch, and a sheath of arrows. In its beak is a ribbon reading “E. pluribus unum”. Above it is written “United States of America” and below it reads “Quarter Dollar”. Due to an issue with the coins not stacking properly, there are two types of 1892 quarters. The easiest way to tell the difference between them is to see how much of the “e” in “United” is covered by the eagle’s wing.

This quarter was a part of a series of coins designed by Charles Barker. Like his father and grandfather before him, Barker was an engraver. In 1879, Barker became the head engraver for the US Mint, a position his father had held before him. In September of 1890 President Benjamin Harrison made all denominations of U.S. coins eligible to be redesigned by the mint. A competition was held to choose the designer, but many artists refused to participate as only the winner would receive any prize money. The entries that were received were ultimately all rejected by the jury. Frustrated, the Mint director Edward Leech instructed Barber to prepare designs for the dime, quarter, and half dollar himself.

The design of the Barber quarter was met with lukewarm reviews, with more than a few unfavorable ones. Still, the design lasted until 1916, the year that redesigning it wouldn’t require an act from Congress. While Barber did submit designs for a new quarter, they were ultimately rejected. Today, the rarest Barber quarters are those minted at the San Francisco Mint, from 1896, 1901, and 1913. High-quality Barber silver quarters, particularly those of Extremely Fine grade, can be worth quite a bit as well, regardless of the year. Keep an eye out for Barber’s Lady Liberty, a fine piece for any collection.

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