Help me rid myself of the BARBER stigma

topstuf

I have owned Barber coins. I still have a very nice quarter that I keep because of the amazing color.



But..... I read...SO...many disdains of the design that I fear it has corrupted me.



WAAAAYYYYY back.... when I first started coins..... the BARBER HALF....was a tremendous accomplishment for my 7070.



Have had and sold many many Barber halves and never kept. Prejudice from comments? Maybe. Started thinking .... I ....was the philistine who was falling prey to the adverse comments of others.



So.... I have ordered another one. PC64 with...yes... a JOHN....kiss.



Don't have it yet. It isn't SPECTACULAR, but it appears to be a very clean near white light toning specimen.





So there! I will probably keep it as I am presently...."buttoning up"..... my pile of coins and only seeking VERY special ....newps.



HOWEVER.... I must say that ...to my eye.... the Barber design comes closest of ALL the US designs to resembling classic ...ANCIENT.... coins.

An allegorical head alone on a fairly plain field.



SPLENDID? Nah, but maybe "classical?"



So... we shall see.



Care to chime in with YOUR opinion of the design? ow ow ow ow ow.....



Please say Barber owners can be nice people.

panexpoguy

When I look at Barbers the word that comes to mind is somewhere between 'uninspired' and 'uninspiring'. But what do I know, I collect Franklin halves...

DIMEMAN

Don't listen to others. Collect what you like! Many people including myself love the Barber design. It is a true beautiful classic design.

LanLord

I like the barber coins. I wish the design had been done with higher relief, but I suppose the low relief is a C. Barber legacy. He seemed to do that to other designs reducing design desireability for striking ease and die life. I understand his reasons for doing so, but it still doesn't improve the characteristic of the coins. At any rate, in high grade, they can be very beautiful coins.

Jackthecat1

I am a fan of the Barber coinage, especially in Proof.

oih82w8

I like all of the U.S. Classic designs...but only enough to want one of each major design type. When you find the ONE...you will know. I have bought and sold every Barber Half that I have come into possession to...it's out there somewhere. I find that the Franklin Half was probably my most "painful" (ugh!) to acquire...I settled for a white variety (DDR) just to fill the spot. To each their own, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.



How about some images of your PC64?

JeffMTampa

Of course I'm prejudiced, but I love the design on the Halves and Quarters. The reverse of the Dime is pretty simple. I believe it tops any of our modern designs, including the Franklin Half. More importantly I really like owning a piece of history that served commerce when our country became a great world power.



I also like that many of them are quite rare with extremely low mintages and Pop counts- like this one:

mannie gray

I don't dislike the design, not doing cartwheels over it either.

Collect what you like -- it's your $$.

JBN

The design is quite nice, but not as nice as others (oodles better than Franklin and Kennedy - which is not saying much, but not nearly as nice as Seated, Bust, and the splendid Walking Liberty).

I feel the half dollar issue looks better in F/VF and XF with some 'commerce' on it. My collection is in the F/VF range and looks exceptional IMHO.

MFH

I hope your Newp becomes the base for yet another to add on to.
I fell in love ( love is a relative term here ) with the series when I
was given my Grandfather's coins when I was a Kid of 12 or so.

The 1892 Half that was in that group was the most beautiful coin I
had ever seen. Because of this one coin, I have added to the Halves
and built a collection - more than one collection - of all the Barber
Series - and seem to continue to expand upon each of the series.

I have always held that the design was based in Greco-Roman antiquity.

Looking forward to seeing your collection grow. Join the Barber Mega Thread
when you get your new Half...we'd all love to see it.

Baley

topstuf, for a rather advanced collector (and former dealer), you sure seem conflicted and unsettled about certain aspects of coins.



Yes, someone can own a Barber coin and still be considered a nice person.



I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of your new purchase

Yorkshireman

Originally posted by: Jackthecat1

I am a fan of the Barber coinage, especially in Proof.

I agree with that idea.

dogwood

What initially attracted them to me in the late 80's was that the Halves could be completed as a set for about $17 each in Fine12 with only a dozen dates over a $100.
I tried that set off and on and I couldn't do it.
In 2006 I started finding raw XF and AU better dates, but once holdered in PCGS flipped them during the last price run up.
Only now returning to the glorious world of Fine Barber Halves.
They're not $17 anymore, sadly.
People would be surprised at the demand for wholesome coins at that level.
There are tons of set builers out there who aren't on forums talking about it, I'm sure.

topstuf

Originally posted by: Baley

topstuf, for a rather advanced collector (and former dealer), you sure seem conflicted and unsettled about certain aspects of coins.



Yes, someone can own a Barber coin and still be considered a nice person.



I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of your new purchase

The more advanced I get, the more conflicted I get.

Even in the field of guns. I've changed "directions" several times.

Sometimes I'll go off on a whim. Whims can be fun.

I'm impressionable. Be nice. Send me a cake.



Or your type set. I think your type set would settle me RIGHT DOWN!

topstuf

Pic for Baley.











Be nice, now.





(oh....it's okay for the rest of you to look at it, too.)

Baley

wow, very nice! Has it got other side?

DIMEMAN

Very nice 1908 - (?).

topstuf

Originally posted by: Baley

wow, very nice! Has it got other side?

Yeah, but I want to get a pic when it ARRIVES.

Right now the pic has the dealer name on the back.



WHICH.... I peel off.

And hide

and burn

and ignore

and and and..... it should be forthcoming shortly.

ricman

I was "hooked" the first time I saw a barber half in the early '70s. Went on to collect complete circulated sets of dimes, quarters, and halves. Recently reached the point when it was time to sell the Barbers (and all other series). Since I had not been an active collector for many years I asked forum members for suggestions on where to sell the coins. I received excellent advice and all transactions went well.

kiyote

Nic

Deleted



Tried to post a pic of a newp with no success. Win10 does not like it here.



I love Barbers. The reverse dies of the quarters and halves are one of my favorite designs.



One more try at another coin ...

BryceM

Like it or hate it, there's no arguing that Barber's designs fulfilled their intended purpose to perfection. The design is optimized for mass production and longevity. They wear incredibly evenly and look OK all the way down to VG.

Boosibri

I do like the Barbers...

kaz

Barbers are nice looking coins in many grades. Beautiful examples so far!

roadrunner

The luster patterns on the Barber half and quarter are sort of unique. They form pools of luster along with a cartwheel. And for that reason they've always caught my eye.

Walkerguy21D

What's not to love?
I sold off my halves back in 2009 when I was laid off, and later resorted to hunting and flipping the better dates as I came across them at shows.
Built most of a dime set but got bored with them and sold most of them too. Tried working on a quarter collection in VF-AU, whew - that was tough!
I still have these, perhaps someday I'll resume working on that.

From the 7070:

ricko

I like the Barber design coins... particularly the halves.... was not aware of any general disparagement....guess I just ignore such things. Cheers, RickO

bluelobster

I've always like Barbers

Jinx86

I love the barber series partly because you can collect it in so many ways. In some dates I have 4 or 5 examples, all unique; grade, luster, toning. They can be very appealing coins at either end of the sceptrum.

VF


XF


AU


MS

topstuf

Aiyeeeee!!!



I just thought of ANOTHER "problem" that this coin MIGHT pose.



NOW, I keep my boxes arragnged by frequency of STARING at 'em.



Others, while nice coins, are willy nilly-ed into SUBSEQUENT boxes.



(mainly cuz ...so far... I only got 20 that DEMAND to be looked at.)



Now.... I may be forced to arrange by denomination. Ow.



Meaning a 1921 Peace Dollar is going to move UP a box. Even though a Peace Dollar is ...well... a Peace Dollar.



WHY did I ever get in this dumb hobby?

LogPotato

You either like them or you don't. Who cares what everyone else thinks. I'm sure a lot of people see my set and say yuck.



http://www.pcgs.com/setregistr...ishedset.aspx?s=136091

MFH

Just sitting here with drool on my iPad surface... There are some down right amazing
Barbers being shown. Greg M: you getting tired of that 1892 Half yet ? I've always
liked it.

Bryce - wonderful trio - just superb.

Thanks everyone for supporting the Newbie - he's got a lot to digest.

I also wanted to mention to the gentleman who posted the Reverse of a Half,
I would love to see the Obverse - that's one neat coin you posted.
You're working with Windows 10, I'm sure you can post it to Photobucket;
I'd be thrilled to get the images for you and post them on the Barber Mega Thread.

MFH

Originally posted by: Nic

NIC: this is a flat out amazing Half !!