The Barber Coin is a silver-copper alloy rare-coin that was minted from 1892 to 1916 and again in 40% silver during the years of 1942-1945 for use in international trade. The coins carry Charles E. Barber's name without an 'S' on the end. He designed the silver coin in different denominations i.e. half a dollar, quarter, and dime, which were all struck at the main mint in Philadelphia. He worked as the chief engraver at the U.S Bureau of the Mint,
Today, these
Barber dimes still continue to be minted but in the form of silver bullion coins where, surprisingly, the designs are not changed. The Barber dime can be purchased from several dealers online and many collectors show interest in buying them as a part of their coin collections. Today, you can buy one of the rare coins for $20 to $30 depending upon its type and quality. The current value is $20.50 for a quarter, $15 for a dime, and $5.80 for a half dollar coin.
Discussed below are the features that make the Barber coin a rare coin.
1) They are Highly Versatile & Unique
The Barber dime can be used as money in the form of trade. This particular feature makes it extremely versatile (having many uses or functions, flexible). The fact that these coins have different designs on each side makes them unique. To date, there are no other coins that have the same designs as the Barber coin- because all the other coins produced at that time had the same design on both sides.
The coin carries a head of Lady Liberty with a coronet covered in stars and the words ‘UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’ covering the head on the obverse. On the reverse, there is a wreath encircling the words 'One Dime’ and the year of mintage.
2) Collectible
These coins were minted in
large amounts, but not many of them survived the test of time. As such, collecting these rare coins is quite lucrative and worth your time and money. For coin collectors, this prompts them to try their best to collect as many coins as they can.
Many people have collected these coins because of their rarity and prestige.
3) They Hold a Memory
The Barber dime is a wonderful memory of the past. By collecting these coins you are indirectly participating in history. It holds many memories for people. For example, in the 1964 Kennedy half dollar, the distinction is made clear
between coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint and those struck at the Denver Mint. The Philadelphia coins have no mint mark while the Denver coins have a "D" mintmark.
4) Rare and Valuable
It is one of the rarest coins in existence because there were only 15.5 million of them ever produced, and they were only produced during three years. Therefore, their scarcity combined with the desirability of owning a rare coin makes them one of the most valuable as well as rarest coins ever made by the United States Mint. The Barber dime price has skyrocketed over the years because they hold a very high coin value that can be used to buy other goods and services and can be easily purchased from many coin dealers found online.
Conclusion
The above features are what make the Barber coin a rare historical coin. The rarity of the coins combined with their desirability makes them worth owning.