Barber Dime Value is Rising

"O" Mintmark: New Orleans Mint

Helping contribute to the nation's coinage, New Orleans typically struck over a million Barber dimes yearly. From 1892 to 1909 when minting operations ceased, New Orleans produced over 48 million dimes. Lowest mintage year are 1895-O dimes 440,000 becoming the lowest for any date and mint combination and a key rarity for the series.

Mintmark "O" is on the reverse below the wreath.

"S" Mintmark: San Francisco Mint

San Francisco mint struck Barber dimes for circulation for all years except 1894. Mintage numbers were modest in comparison to Philadelphia. Over the course of the series San Francisco's total was just over 52 million pieces. Finding an "S" mint dime is often finding a premium coin. Stand out dates are 1892-S and 1901-S with many others close in value.

An "S" mintmark on the reverse below the wreath confirms San Francisco.

"D" Mintmark: Denver Mint

In the city of Denver Colorado a new mint to handle distribution of coins to the central states was completed in 1906. Production of dimes started immediately striking 4 million dated 1906. With interruptions in 1913 and 1915 Barber dime totals from Denver are close to 55 million coins.

A Denver mint dime is noted by the "D" mintmark below the wreath on the reverse.

No Mintmark: Philadelphia Mint

Philadelphia mint, living up to its status and the main mint, produced over 346 million Barber dimes. This total is greater than the combined mintages of the branch mints. The early years of 1894 and 1895 are premium coins in all grades due to low mintages. Quantities are available in Good to Fine grade for the rest of the dates. An excellent entry for new to young collectors to assemble a date run of an old and popular series.

No mintmark was used by Philadelphia on coinage at the time. Without a mintmark below the wreath indicates a Philadelphia mint coin.

Obverse: Features Identifying Mint State Grade: Mint State grade is an important condition to recognize. To qualify at the mint state level the surface of the coin is free of wear. High points of the design are easily disturbed and show a change in texture to the metal if wear is present.

Liberty's cheek is an open area, any wear to the surface is noticed as a smoothing of the metal along with a dulling of its shine. Tilt the coin under a light comparing the entire cheek area for a consistent texture.

Inspect the hair just above Liberty's forehead. Fine strands of hair are part of the design, these are intact on a mint state coin.

Laurel leaves laying over the cap are free of any smoothness towards the tips. A fine ridge defining the edges of leaves remains with a fine texture.

Reverse: Features Identifying Mint State Grade: A large amount of fine detail is part of the wreath on the reverse. Using the upper edges of leaves, grains of wheat and corn helps detect and wear.

Just below the "D" and "E" in "Dime" are very fine leaf details. Look closely to confirm no smoothing of edges to the leaves is present.

Wheat grains and fine lines within the corn are next to judge. Any wear shows a change in color - a dulling - to the metal. Top areas are bright and of the same texture as deeper into the design.

Loops to the bow and trailing ribbons are all without any smoothing on a mint state example Barber dime.

Obverse: Features Identifying Extremely Fine Grade: A small amount of wear is just beginning to flatten high areas of the design. Extremely Fine grade Barber dimes remain crisp and sharp in overall appearance.

Headband featuring letters of "Liberty" inscribed is full across the hair. Both top and bottom edges of the band remain visible.

All letters to "Liberty" are clearly readable. Look closely to recognize a remaining "Y" at the very end of the band.

Laurel leaves are part of the wreath holding the Liberty cap. Lower leaves are losing the edges of some and blending with the hair. Upper leaves remain well defined and bold from where they lay over the cap.

Liberty's cheek and the top portion of her cap display smoothness and a slight flatness to their once raised profile.

Reverse: Features Identifying Extremely Fine Grade: A softening of the defined edges to leaves, grains of wheat and corn are just beginning to show on the design. These extremely fine grade dimes still retain ample fine line detail.

Details defining the inner parts of leaves remain on those leaves just below the "D" and "E".

Viewing all edges of leaves show just slight wear confined to edges only with no signs of flatness to the broader areas of leaves.

Wear is visible on the bow. Only slight flattening of the raised parts of the loops and trailing ribbon ends has occurred.

Obverse: Features Identifying the Fine Grade: Wide areas of the coin's surface have become flat, helping to identify the Fine grade.

Portrait of Liberty is still well defined with most major details defined. Lettering of "Liberty" across the band just above her eye is readable. Some letters are faint.

Once well detailed hair strands above forehead are now smooth and just beginning to blend into the lower edge of ribbon.

Leaves of the wreath holding cap are well defined over the cap. Lower row of leaves over Liberty's ear and temple area are losing the edge definition and merging smooth.

Reverse: Features Identifying the Fine Grade: A defined wreath remains on the reverse of a Fine grade Barber dime.

Although wear is smoothing many fine lines, each leaf is separate and defined. Inner detail to the oak leaves under the "E" is visible.

Flatness is beginning to smooth the upper parts of the leaf next to the "O". Contours giving the leaf depth remain.

Rim is complete and bow at the bottom is well defined with loops, knot, and trialing ribbons separate.

Obverse: Features Identifying the Good Grade: Once a coin is worn to the point major detail is missing a Good grade is defined. Evidence of leaves to a wreath are missing. Headband with lettering is missing. Liberty is an outline all combine to identify the grade.

Helping define the grade; all parts of the legend are readable and bold. Tops of letters are free of the rim.

Liberty's portrait is an outline but bold from the field.

A strong rim remains.

Reverse: Features Identifying the Good Grade: Wreath is heavily worn and many leaves are flat and connected without defined edges.

A few grains of wheat are visible towards the top of the wreath, but the corn next to "E" of DIME is worn and often missing any kernel details.

Rim is well raised from the field in most areas. Any fading of the wreath to the rim is minor and confined to one small part. Widespread blending of outer edges of the wreath with rim indicated a lower condition and value coin.

Any Barber dime with clear features to Liberty requires a close inspection. Checking the date and then the mintmark confirms its place on the value chart. The 1913-S Barber dime pictured is a pleasing example and solid collector quality. Finding a rare date requires an amount of luck. Separating the common bullion examples from high demand collector quality dimes is always possible. Eye pleasing coins are well received by collectors.

More Dime Values

Discover how much your old dimes are worth. Bust, Seated Liberty, to Barber, Mercury, and Roosevelt Dimes. Follow the steps to identify variety, date, and comparing your coins to images and descriptions judge condition and grade. Narrow the range of how much they are worth on value charts.