@amwldcoin said:
I think I have to disagree. A nice original full rim G-VG Barber coin is quite wholesome to me! They are really no different appearance and eye appeal wise to a Morgan dollar with the same amount of wear.
@BillJones said:
Charles Barber designed utilitarian dimes, quarters and half dollars that were fairly easy to strike and survived well in circulation. The sad part is, after they wear down to something less than VF, they are unattractive.
A really nicely toned Mint State or Proof Barber coin is pretty. Once it gets some wear, not so much.
Well heavily circulated Morgans aren’t much to write home about either, so in a way I agree with you…
@CoinHoarder said:
True story. When I was a child, I thought the effigy of Liberty on the Barber coinage, was a gladiator.
Here you go, a cover the Puck magazine issue dated March 14, 1900. Puck was a political and satirical magazine that had many great covers from established artists and illustrators and I have over the years picked off several original issue magazines with fabulous cover art and had them framed in my office. This is one of those originals that hangs in my office and it measures about 12 inches x 15 inches-
Barber Halves. Aside from the bullion value, silver doesn't get funky when exposed to the elements. Copper cents can go bad in a hurry of not properly stored.
IHC for me because I'm still in chapter one of coin collecting so, the natural progression from Lincolns to IH makes more sense for me. Is that really a woman?
This is graded PR-67, CAC, but on the dark side. The Proof mirrors show under a strong light.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
I would vote for the Barber Halves. As others have mentioned, copper and the color of copper coins make me nervous. The halves in my opinion have alot going for them
@amwldcoin said:
I think I have to disagree. A nice original full rim G-VG Barber coin is quite wholesome to me! They are really no different appearance and eye appeal wise to a Morgan dollar with the same amount of wear.
@BillJones said:
Charles Barber designed utilitarian dimes, quarters and half dollars that were fairly easy to strike and survived well in circulation. The sad part is, after they wear down to something less than VF, they are unattractive.
A really nicely toned Mint State or Proof Barber coin is pretty. Once it gets some wear, not so much.
Well heavily circulated Morgans aren’t much to write home about either, so in a way I agree with you…
@coinbuf said:
I would choose the IHC as I prefer that design over the Barber, but neither is a series I would choose due to the number of expensive stopper coins.
The Barber half key is 1892-s, $300 in G-4 in the PCGS Price guide.
Compare with the 1877 IHC, $625 in G-4.
So I'd say the Barber halves are more affordable than IHC in low grade.
The IHC key is cheaper than the Barber dime key (1894-s $1.5m in PR-lowest)
or the Barber quarter key (1901-s $4,750 in G-4);
maybe those were the expensive stoppers you were thinking of?
Although $300 can also be a stopper.
It certainly stopped me, as I have all the Barber halves except the key.
Ditto for the Barber dimes.
I personally have never sat down and run the numbers to compare the cost of key dates for either of these coin types, partly because the Barber coinage is very unattractive to my eye unless very high grade. And when you start to get into the MS grades there are many coins in the Barber series that are far more expensive than the 1892-S. Example, the PCGS price guide shows the 92-S in MS65 at $7,750 while the 93-S is $15,000. And there are 8-10 others in the Barber series that are far more expensive than the 92-S in the MS65 grade, all well out of my reach. This is just my personal view and taste, but anything under AU58 for Barber coinage is not a coin that I would enjoy looking at or enjoy owning. That is not to sound elitist or a shot at anyone that collects lower grade coins, just that everyone should collect what they enjoy and low grade coins is not what I enjoy.
Conversely, I find nice evenly colored brown AU50 and up IHC's to be very attractive and exhibit great eye appeal. That is not to say that these are inexpensive either, which circles back to what I said. Neither is a series that I would collect because for the quality I like there are too many stoppers in each series. But as I prefer the IHC design far more than the Barber, if I were contemplating either series (or just a single key date) it would be the IHC for me, even if I needed to pay a bit extra.
Comments
Well heavily circulated Morgans aren’t much to write home about either, so in a way I agree with you…
I need a cover of this magazine with a black dog!
Just for fun.....Here's a fine example that shows the real beauty of the design. PF-67+
Barber Halves. Aside from the bullion value, silver doesn't get funky when exposed to the elements. Copper cents can go bad in a hurry of not properly stored.
IHC for me because I'm still in chapter one of coin collecting so, the natural progression from Lincolns to IH makes more sense for me. Is that really a woman?
Here's one I like that is plebian, an PR-64.
This is graded PR-67, CAC, but on the dark side. The Proof mirrors show under a strong light.
I would vote for the Barber Halves. As others have mentioned, copper and the color of copper coins make me nervous. The halves in my opinion have alot going for them
But they aren't loathed like some do with the Barbers!
I personally have never sat down and run the numbers to compare the cost of key dates for either of these coin types, partly because the Barber coinage is very unattractive to my eye unless very high grade. And when you start to get into the MS grades there are many coins in the Barber series that are far more expensive than the 1892-S. Example, the PCGS price guide shows the 92-S in MS65 at $7,750 while the 93-S is $15,000. And there are 8-10 others in the Barber series that are far more expensive than the 92-S in the MS65 grade, all well out of my reach. This is just my personal view and taste, but anything under AU58 for Barber coinage is not a coin that I would enjoy looking at or enjoy owning. That is not to sound elitist or a shot at anyone that collects lower grade coins, just that everyone should collect what they enjoy and low grade coins is not what I enjoy.
Conversely, I find nice evenly colored brown AU50 and up IHC's to be very attractive and exhibit great eye appeal. That is not to say that these are inexpensive either, which circles back to what I said. Neither is a series that I would collect because for the quality I like there are too many stoppers in each series. But as I prefer the IHC design far more than the Barber, if I were contemplating either series (or just a single key date) it would be the IHC for me, even if I needed to pay a bit extra.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.