Barber Pattern Coin Collection...easy read.

WoodenJefferson

Charles Barber amassed a collection of more than 200 pattern coins, and almost no one knew about it.
No pics, but Barber's own list of strikes he saved...he was not a collector perse and did not think of his collection as valuable.

Barber Pattern Coin Collection

CaptHenway

A curious inclusion is the three 1876-CC Dimes. Obviously these are not patterns, but may be the Proofs that are known for that year. Proofs are also known in copper.

I have always thought that these were made in Carson City, but the fact that Barber had them may mean that they were made in Philadelphia before the dies were shipped West. The quality is certainly good enough to have been a Philadelphia product.

Tom DeLorey

MFH

Thanks for the link. I find it curious that he didn't have a set of 1891 pattern dimes- quarters and halves to round out his set. Only complete set of 1891 Barber coin patterns are secure in the Smithsonian...they're still there DrPete, arn't they ?

Coinosaurus

You also have 1876-CC dimes in nickel and copper. It seems more likely to me that such creativity would have come out of Philadelphia and not Carson City. I can't think of any comparable Carson City "delicacies" in the same class, whereas there are many such pieces out of Philadelphia.

RWB

First, it should be noted that copies of the notebooks were donated to the Smithsonian, ANS and ANA by numismatist/attorney David Ganz. I worked from the ANA copies.

It’s especially unfortunate that we have very little of Barber’s personal correspondence, and almost none of the Engraving Department’s records.

Further, we don’t know when or how his patterns were dispersed after his death in 1917. Some of the items in his inventory are unknown today or may be somewhat different than his descriptions (i.e.: the 8 EHR $20s might have included a VHR example or other varieties).

Some items must have brought good prices – the EHR $20s were selling for $800-$1,000 in 1915 – but many likely were sold for little more than face value. The Buffalo nickel reverse trial may be the same example sent to and approved by Jim Fraser - today it would bring a mid-five figure price at auction.