Barber Half Dollars

Along with a similarly redesigned dime and quarter, the Barber Half Dollar was introduced in 1892. The coins were all designed by Charles E. Barber, who was the current Chief Engraver of the United States Mint.

The obverse of the coin depicts Liberty facing right, wearing a cap with a wreath of laurel tied around. The motto "In God We Trust" appears above, with the date below. There are six starts to her left and seven to her right. The reverse of the coin features a heraldic eagle with an arrangement of thirteen stars above. The eagle's talons grasp an olive branch and bundle of arrows. A ribbon in the eagle's beak contains the motto "E Pluribus Unum". The inscriptions "United States of America" and "Half Dollar" surround.

Although the series does not contain any specific key dates, rarities exist for some of the San Francisco Mint coins, which can be extremely challenging to find in high grades or problem free condition. The most notable variety of the series is the 1892-O Micro O Barber Half Dollar. Of the total mintage of 390,000 pieces, some coins carried a smaller sized mint mark (or "micro O") intended for the quarter dollar. This represents a rare variety, scarcely found in uncirculated grades, with even lower grade coins driving big premiums.

Coin Specifications

Dates: 1892-1915
Mint: Philadelphia, Denver (D) , New Orleans (O), San Francisco (S)
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Diameter: 30.6 mm
Weight: 12.50 grams

More Information: Barber Half Dollar Mintage