1894-S Barber Dime question...

savoyspecial

dont you hate it when you cant remember where you read something??

the 1894-s barber dime has long been one of my favorite classic rarities......in my opinion it is more legitimate than 1804 dollars (minted 30 yrs. after the fact), 1913 liberty nickels (minted under dubious conditions) and stellas (pattern only)......the 1894-s just has so much going for it......it was a specially minted issue in a working man's set (the humble barber dime).....it also doesnt hurt that there are so many great stories to accompany this little coin (ice cream specimen, etc)

well a while back i read an article somewhere on the 1894-s that mentioned on that sold over the counter in the (19)60's to a department store's coin department in a group of junk silver......i found this amazing on many levels.....first of all, that it surfaces 70 years later unbeknownst to the collecting community.....secondly, that no premium was paid for such a rarity! stories like this help keep hope alive that something may turn up today in a similar environment

does anyone know where i read this?? i'm hoping i didnt just dream it up although i suppose its possible

please post here if you can think of the magazine or trade paper that i read this in......also chime in if you have anything to add on the 1894-s in general

greg

StrikeOutXXX

I believe the dime was purchased for $2.40 originally.

Coinfacts has some info for you:
coinfacts 1894-S Dime

CaptHenway

You know, there must be a gap in the pedigree of the "Ice Cream Specimen." James G. Johnson of Coin World's Collectors Clearinghouse bought it in 1969, but when I went to work with him in June of 1974 and asked to see the piece he told me that he had sold it.
TD

Coinosaurus

Bill Burd had an article in the Numismatist awhile back on this - February 1994.

RichieURich

Would be very cool to see either of the low-grade specimens come on the market!

ambro51

One of these was sold in 1965 for 12,000$. Funny thing is it was mentioned in a Beverly Hillbillies episode....when Drysdale tried to talk Jed intio a hobby. Milburn mentioned coin collecting, showed Jed a Whitman book with the 94S in there and told him that dime is worth twelve thousand dollars.

Jed failed to see the value in it......Of course, had Jed bought the dime back in 1965 he would have made a great investment!

Broadstruck

A specimen now in a NGC G-4 holder sold across the counter at Gimbel's department stores coin and stamp counter.

Specimen No. 1. Proof-60, spot on cheek. Burd-1, Lawrence-1, Breen-1, Flynn-1. Waldo C. Newcomer via B. Max Mehl in 1933; F.C.C. Boyd; Will W. Neil; Edwin Hydeman; Empire Coin Company; A. Boul Hinman; Leo A. Young; Ron Gillio; private collection
Specimen No. 2. Gem Proof. Lintmark in field from neck nearly to chin. Burd-2, L-2, Breen-2, F-2. John M. Clapp (prior to 1900), Stack's 1942 to Eliasberg; Stack's/Bowers and Merena's Eliasberg Sale, Part I, May 20-22, 1996, Lot 1250 to Harvey Stack for a client.
Specimen No. 3. Proof-66 (NGC). Two nicks on bottom left bust, nick on bottom left ribbon. Burd-3, L-3, Breen-3 and 4, F-3. J. M. Clapp before 1900; John H. Clapp; Stack's 1942; Louis E. Eliasberg; Stack's H. R. Lee Sale, October 2-4, 1947, Lot 348 to James A. Stack, Stack's sale of the James A. Stack Collection, January 1990, Lot 206; Jay Parrino; David Lawrence Rare Coins; Bradley Hirst; David Lawrence Rare Coins sale of the Richmond Collection, Part III, March 7, 2005, Lot 1295; recently sold for $1,900,000 in a private treaty through John Feigenbaum of David Lawrence Rare Coins.
Specimen No. 4. The Present Coin. Proof-64 Branch Mint (PCGS). Speck by I of UNITED, minor planchet flake touching denticles and field on rim near top of long leaf on upper right reverse. From the Dr. Samuel Joseph Gillespie Sale, Kagin's Long Beach Auction, October 4-6, 1984, Lot 4176 and purchased privately by our consignor in January 1985 from Kagin's. This coin is presumed to be the following although its earlier pedigree this could not be absolutely confirmed: Burd-unlisted, L-4, Breen-5, F-unlisted. Hallie Daggett, Earl Parker (1949-54), Dan Brown, Stack's, Chicago Private Collector--likely to Kagin's for auction at this point (circa 1984) in the pedigree chain if not well before as Kagin's often inventoried such coins.
Specimen No. 5. Proof-65 (PCGS). Burd-4, L-5, Breen-6, F-4. Daggett-Parker-Johnson-Bowers and Ruddy Rare Coin Review #21-Lawrence. Heritage auctions, January 12, 2005, Lot 30164 for $1,035,000.
Specimen No. 6. Proof-60. Burd-5, L-6, Breen-7, F-5. Daggett-Parker-Buss-Superior, May 1988.
Specimen No. 7. Proof-62 (NGC). Short scratch on cheek. Burd-6, L-7, Breen-8, F-6.
Specimen No. 8. Proof. Burd-7, L-8, Breen-10, F-7. Rappaport, A. Kagin, Reuter, Abner Kreisberg, James Ruddy (1958), Pennsylvania estate.
Specimen No. 9. Good-4 (NGC). Scratch through ONE DIME. Burd-8, L-9, Breen-11, F-8. Gimbel's, Art Kagin, Harmer Rooke, James G. Johnson, Bowers and Merena's William Sieck Collection, Lot 2291, Bowers and Merena's Four Landmark Collections Auction, March 27-31, 1989, Lot 191.
Specimen No. 10. AG-3 (NGC). Circular cut in center. Burd-9, L-10, Breen-12, F-9. Romito (1911), Montesano, Laura Sperber to private collection (1991).

RWB

There have been several Coin World articles and books on the 1894-S dime in recent years. (Wilson, Flynn, etc.) These are based on much better research than was available in 1994 and I’d suggest the original poster examine these newer resources instead of relying on obsolete information.

As far as legitimacy, the 24 coins were correctly recorded in production ledgers of the San Francisco Mint and in Mint HQ. What we do not know is why only 24 were struck and if further production was anticipated but later cancelled. Most of the stories seem to be nothing more than “tall tales.”