Why do Barbers appear to be so worn???

tr8cer

Why do Barbers appear to be so worn compared to other coins? I've seriously wondered about this a quite bit. Such a large percent of the faces seem like they were just rubbed out. The lettering in the hair is missing. (Now keep in mind I've only been looking for a month and a half) Is it a weak strike? Were they kept out in circulation longer than other series?

Is it just me or has anyone else here wondered the same thing?

All right Barber gods...rain down your omnipotent wisdom.

STONE

First of all, the obverse details weren't made super strong, but other than that, these coins circulated quite a bit.

PerryHall

STONE nailed it. Shallow relief of the design and they circulated for a long time.

ziggy29

My understanding is that it wasn't that uncommon to still see a few Barbers in circulation as recently as the 1950s. That's a lot of work, especially at a time when people didn't just throw loose change in a jar most of the time...because these represented "real money" at the time.

My dad found quite a few Barbers in change when he was stationed in Puerto Rico in the early 1960s.

ProofArtworkonCircs

Yes, my Barbers are quite worn. But that is from picking them out of circulation in the 1950's after they had much circulation.
I think at that time people saved them because they were odd when they didn't bother before or couldn't afford to.

Casey

Worn Barbers are really unattractive IMO. But when the detail remains and some color is included, they're stunning.

ARCO

The Barber design was not terribly popular in their time, thus, they were not saved as frequently. Secondly, the coins were workhorses in everyday commerce and were used and spent extensively and they were in circulation for long periods of time. 50 cents represented a day's wage for a laborer when they were issued and setting aside hard money for a collection was not a priority for many.

The late David Lawrence guessed that of the remaining Barber coins available for collectors today, about 95% are AG-Good. That is why finding certain dates in lowly fine (1893-S as an example) and unmolested with nice eye appeal is so challenging and rewarding.

Here is a coin that cost me $200.00 six years ago, and I have never seen another fine with as nice eye appeal since:







Tyler

veryfine

<< <i>Here is a coin that cost me $200.00 six years ago, and I have never seen another fine with as nice eye appeal since:







Tyler >>


Nice 93-s but don't you think it qualifies as a no question VF-20? Perhaps if you strictly adhere to the "full liberty" criteria it might be a F-15, but imo, it clearly has VF detail. I bet most of us would easily pay VF money for this coin.

lordmarcovan

Casey- "stunning" is an understatement, on that dime.

Edit to add (and to respond to the topic at hand), I just went through a roll or two of Barber quarters this afternoon. I found one with a nearly full rim on the obverse (AG+ details) but an almost slick, PO01 reverse. I net graded it to FR02. Many of the "G4" coins in this roll had AG reverses. I am not complaining, because I got them for a good price and there were some 1890s coins and mintmarks in there and a few that were slightly less common dates.

Like the Liberty nickels, they definitely seemed have a problem with the reverse wearing out before the obverse.

rec78

I think the 1890's is when coins really started to circulate more. The 1890's were good times (Thus the gay 90's) Also with the advent of gambling (slot) machines and vending machines in the early 1900's caused much use and wear on these coins. There was a lot of metal against metal wear. There were few coin collectors in the early 1900's. Not many people really started to care about coins until after WWII. By then it was too late for most barber coins. They were worn out.
Todays coins do not get as much wear and tear as most of the gambling industry is now coinless. Vending machines are made better also so there is not as much wear on the coins that are used in vending machines.
I can remember putting coins into a vending machine and pushing them in a metal slide or turning a knob where the coin was turned and pushed a lever or something else metal to dispense a product. These old completely mechanical machines wore coins out. Old mechanical banks, pay phones, Nickelodeons, penny arcades, old pinball machines,etc., all caused coins to wear out faster.

tightbudget

Design?

Texast

Thinking about all the well worn Barber dimes gives true meaning to the term "One Thin Dime"

SeaEagleCoins

There is a great article by David Lange in the recent Numismatist that answers just this question. If you have access to the August issue (pgs. 21-22 & pgs. 55-60)...check out the article on coin boards...

Dave explains that up until the introduction of the coin boards in the mid 1930's...coin collecting was mainly only practiced by a select few and they were interested in Mint State and Proof coins...then with the advent of the coin boards...with the challenge "fill me if you can"... 'common' folks began to collect out of change (much to the amusement of the Numismatists of that time...just like the Classic collectors look upon the Modern collectors today)...by this time most Barber coins that still remained in circulation...and there were apparently quite a few...were very worn down...

Dave goes on to explain that this is why it is very difficult to find F-XF examples... many MS coins were put away by the Collectors at the time of issue...while the remainder started getting pulled from circulation with the advent of the coin boards...

(just a breif synopsis...read the article...I found it very informative)...

TheRaven

There is not that much to wonder, what you have seen is what it is period.....

Like has been said they circulated for a long time and anything above G/AG is difficult and gets really expensive as you move up the scales really quick.....