The Unofficial Barber Proof Thread
P0CKETCHANGE
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This thread is for all things related to Proof Barbers: discussion, show-and-tell, auction results, etc., focusing on the dimes, quarters, and half dollars (sorry, no Liberty nickels).
Minted annually from 1892-1915, mintages range from a very low 380 coins to 1,245 coins (all three denominations during the first year of issue). The dimes include the famous 1894-S branch mint proof, as well as the overdate 1893/2.
Cameo and deep cameo examples add intrigue, and are scarce to rare depending on the year. Coins come from super original and colorful, to blast white with deep black mirrors. Almost all are sharply struck and make superb type coins.
I started this thread just to have a central place to appreciate these beautiful relics of late 19th and early 20th century history. Feel free to jump in and share your coins, thoughts and observations, or just follow along.
It's fitting to start with my first Proof Barber acquisition, this 1914 PR63 CAC quarter which I bought as my type set example back in 2019. I was amazed by the very low mintage of 380 coins, and the intriguing textile toning on the obverse. 
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Comments
This is going to be a great thread!
By the way, I really like your opening post.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
@Eldorado9
End Systemic Elitism - It Takes All of Us
ANA LM, LSCC, EAC, FUN
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
@Tom_B that's a beauty! That rich toning must be spellbinding in-hand. 1915 is my second favorite year—last year of proof issue, and second lowest mintage (450).
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Love the toning on that one pocket change, I like
I have focused on proof and SMS halves from 1936-1970; however at some point in time I will expand my collecting efforts to include proof Barber and Seated Liberty halves.
Looking forward to seeing threadd develop.
A handful of all-time favorites....PS Love to see more from everybody here...They are such great coins.
Pf-67+ Cam, cac
Pf-68, cac
Pf-67+, cac
Pf-67+, cac
Pf-66+ DCam, cac
Pf-67+ Cam Simpson
Pf-67+, cac
Pf-67+ Cam, CACG
Pf-68 DCam, cac Black Cat
Here's my best dime:
Pf-68 Cam, cac
I have none of my own to offer. I do love this era of Proof coinage.
Custom album maker and numismatic photographer.
Need a personalized album made? Design it on the website below and I'll build it for you.
https://www.donahuenumismatics.com/.
I bought this out of an on-line Heritage Auction not knowing how nice it would be in hand. The coin picture in the catalogue was dark and It was only a PF66 CAC.
But it still takes my breath away every time I look at it.
There are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who do not.
Incredible spread of great coins and holders. This one is my favorite of the bunch. Wow!
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Lovely Barbers! Some of the ex Hansen pieces are on the market and quite nice as well.
Here are a few of mine. Love these coins, but I stopped buying them because they haven't proven to be very good investments over the years. Anyone else feel that way?
@DarkStar you have my mailing address! Just tell me how much to make the check out for. Thank you, buddy!
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
We need some more love for these coins!
This one was discussed for a bit on these boards when it sold through GC. The GC image is included below. If I recall correctly few liked the coin from the images. I had expected the coin to be less splotchy in its toning than the GC images and i was correct, but in this case I was surprised by how much the GC images differed from the coin in-hand.
I expect that the coin went to NGC as a white example and I also strongly suspect that the toning on it now is from the paper insert in the NGC 3.0 holder. My opinion is that the mirror surfaces really made the toning on the coin pop, weather that be "pop" in a good way or a bad way is up to the person viewing the coin, but in-hand it has a much more nuanced look to it. I like the coin a lot and I paid a little premium, no doubt, for the fact that it is in an NGC 3.0 holder.
I realize this will not be a well loved coin in this thread.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Don't do this to me... I just started to fall for Barber Quarters & Halves... I don't own a proof yet
!
Attempt #2 succeeds! My favorite Barber, and probably the obverse was dipped at one time.
https://d1htnxwo4o0jhw.cloudfront.net/pcgs/cert/48417875/271742855.jpg
30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!
Tom, I'm pretty sure I called your 1913 quarter "splotchy" in another thread. In hindsight, and looking at the photos again, I must say I still fully agree with that assessment
The gold-embossed NGC holder is sweet though.
But you raise a notable point about these coins: by their nature as proofs, it is very challenging to capture the essence of the coin's in-hand appearance, even with one of the best numismatic photographers behind the camera. Toned examples are even tougher, and made tougher still if being shot through the slab.
My 1905 (below) is splotchy, and I have no doubt some would say unkind things about it. These photos were taken in succession under two different lighting setups by another highly skilled coin photographer, yet they look like totally different coins. And still, I hesitate to say that either truly demonstrates the in-hand mirrored appearance. It's in a PCGS OGH 3.1 with a bean, so it'll never be cracked out for a raw photo.
Collectors of these coins have to work around significant photographic limitations, train their eye to interpret internet photos, and accept the risks that the distribution of actual in-hand appearance is often much wider than with business strikes.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Key word: yet! Can't wait to see your first one
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
I love this dark and stormy look on a classic proof, screaming with originality
A particularly spectacular 1901 Half in PF-67+ Cam. Photo by @FlyingAl One of the best shots of a toned proof Barber I've ever seen.
For anybody that has tried to assemble a Gem or above set of the halves, you know how tough the 1902 is. I searched for years for a good one. This one came from DLRC, and was an Ex Hansen coin...I think it is fabulous. PF-67+ Cam CACG. Photos by @flyingal of course.
FANTASTIC! The coin and the photo both.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Coin Photography
Auction Result
Let’s talk gold beaned Barber dimes. This 1900 dime in a 3.0 OGH with a gold CAC sticker just hammered for $6,193. CAC Guide is $1,750 for a 66, $2,950 for a 67, and $8k for a 68. Prices for CAMs are only marginally higher ($1,900, $3k, and $9.5k respectively). DCAMs are very rare with just a single 66 ($6k) and a single 67 ($12.5k) in CAC's pop report.
CAC has stickered 1,574 proof Barber dimes. Just 26 of those are gold beans, or 1.65% of stickered coins. For comparison, proof Mercury dimes have a 5.80% gold CAC rate, or 3.5x the rate. Barber quarter proofs have a 2.8% gold bean rate; the halves are the rarest at less than 1%!
PR66 is also the highest grade proof Barber dime with a gold CAC sticker, with a total of 4 coins (1893, 1897, 1913, and this 1900). So if you want a top-pop gold beaned proof Barber dime, you need one of those four.
The 1913 sold on GreatCollections for $4,187 back in 2019, before the "pandemic pump". There was a 1910 PR67 Gold CAC in an OGH 3.1 that sold on GC for $16,812 in 2024—this coin is now in a PR68 holder under the same cert#. There was also a gold beaned 1892 in a PR66 rattler that sold on Heritage in 2011 for $4,025, but that holder number is expired.
Of note: the 1900 is not a "legacy" stickered coin, so it beaned relatively recently. There are still great coins that haven't made the trip to CAC out there. What do you think of this auction result?
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
I was watching this lot. I had no real intention of bidding on it, but was purely there to see where it would end. I'm a little surprised, but not shocked.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
I bid it up to $3k (w/buyer’s fee) last week, but that was my max. It definitely exceeded my expectations.
At the closing price, I’m assuming it sold to a gold CAC collector. The risk-reward doesn’t make sense for a crack out, unless the buyer thinks it’s a DCAM.
I often contemplate how the gold CAC is applied to proofs when considering cameo and deep cameo designations, which didn’t exist on the old holders.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
My assumption is they are only looking at the grade on the holder and if they believe the coin comfortably meets or exceeds the grade then the sticker reflects that accordingly.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
I tend to think that the designation would factor in to some extent. Could a high end PR66DCAM in a 66 holder get a gold? Or a low end PR67DCAM? I wonder if JA has ever commented on this.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
I have a PR66DCAM that received a gold CAC sticker.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
In case you are wondering, it isn't a Barber coin, but I think the paradigm would likely be the same.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
That’s straightforward. In that case JA believes it’s a high end 67DCAM or better.
My contemplation is about whether designations upgrades from the original holder can factor into a gold sticker. Using the example of tonight’s GC coin, could it warrant a gold CAC if JA thinks it’s a high end 66DCAM (no difference in numerical grade) or a low end 67DCAM (smaller difference in numerical grade than typical for a gold).
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
That's something for JA to answer, but since we have always understood CAC to be judging the grade I wonder if the designation alon can impact a gold sticker. Certainly, I would expect it to be able to stop a coin from getting a gold sticker.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
PCGS/CAC PR-66 CAM. Ex Jules Reiver Collection.
My interactions with Jules Reiver indicated to me that he was a very generous man with respect to his time and his knowledge. I can recall having lunch and dinner with him at Baltimore and having him take the time to talk about coins all day.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
That's one of those coins you really need to get the 68 to pull it off. That's ultimately what the auction result says - more than one bidder thinks it's a 68.
I personally can't see it higher than 67CAM, but that's just me.
Coin Photography
While I’m always looking for upgrades, I just “completed” my Proof Barber Dime Set, ranked Current #2. The last of my acquisitions are currently being photographed by @FlyingAl.
Some are black & white. Others have toning. All have great mirrors! The pops in these high grades are few and far between. EVERY one of the 24 coins merits a CAC sticker. Surprisingly, many of the other coins in my grades for each coin do not merit CAC stickers. Of the 24 coins in my set, There is one DCAM and 19 coins with a CAM suffix (only four with no suffix). Ten coins have a plus grade.
I’ll show only three here, but I’m also providing a hotlink for the set, so those that choose to take the time can peruse as many as they like. As noted, several will have new photos added by @FlyingAl within a month or so.
1898 PR67+CAM:
Here’s a hotlink to the set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/half-dimes/barber-dimes-major-sets/barber-dimes-proof-1892-1915/publishedset/390591
Steve
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
Steve, fantastic! A truly rare coin with the DCAM designation. Congrats on "finishing" the set.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Here’s an interesting comparison:
The total mintage of Proof Barber half dollars from the entire 24 year run from 1892-1915 is less than the number of Proof Walking Liberty halves produced in just the single year of 1942 (17,313 vs. 21,120).
Here’s my 1914 PR62 CAC, which sports a mintage of just 380 examples. The key date 1936 Proof WLH has more than 10x the mintage (3,901)!
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
PR67+CAM, w/CAC:
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
I have bookmarked this thread. There is already some great stuff in it. I hope it continues.
We will have fun discussing the Proof status of the 1894-S Dimes when the time comes. This will not diminish any other piece here.
Back in the early 1980's, when I was Senior Authenticator at ANACS, the heirs of a three-generation collection in storage since about 1940 contacted the ANA. The third generation collector had been a member of the ANA, and the heirs sought help because the collection contained an 1804 Dollar! They dealt with Ed Rochette, but were reluctant to send the coin to Colorado Springs, so after talking with me Ed got them to agree to pay my expenses to come view the collection in upstate NY.
Alas the 1804 Dollar was a good alteration, but the rest of the collection was fabulous. The first generation had been a Yankee storekeeper who put aside stuff that came in over the counter starting circa 1880. His son inherited the accumulation circa 1896 and made it a serious collection. He bought a complete Proof set from the Mint each year, plus a Proof $2-1/2. He also bought Uncirculated coins each year from the Superintendent of each branch mint. He also bought coins from dealers to complete various collections. There was an 1876-CC Twenty Cent piece in it!
The third generation was the son-in-law of the second generation collector, who took it over in the late 20's IIRC.. He improved upon the collection and put everything in Wayte Raymond albums, but then died suddenly circa 1940. His 50-ish widow locked everything in a steamer trunk and asked her bank to store it for her in their vault "for a while." 43 years later she died, and the bank politely asked the heirs what they would like to do with it.
The Proof Barber Silver was utterly fantastic after half a century in Wayte Raymond holders, as were the BU's. Some of the Proofs will no doubt appear in this thread. Unfortunately, the Bronze and Copper-Nickel coins were all fly-specked. Not sure if that is typical of Wayte Raymond holders or the humidity in the bank vault or a combination of the two.
The collection was sold by Bowers & ? as the Emery-Nichols Collection in the mid-1980's.
TD
In my Branch Mint Proof thread @MrEureka mentions an unquestionable Proof 1904-O Half Dollar, ex-Pittman.
Two of my ‘prized’ possessions. 1892 proof mintage of 1245. The NGC 1982 Ultra Cam has a pop of 27….5 in 68UC and 1 higher at 68UC*. PCGS shows 6 in 68DC and 1 in 69DC. The NGC 1912 proof mintage is 700. The NGC 68 Ultra Cam is the top pop and only UC coin graded. PCGS shows 1 66DC…none higher or lower.
Bought this from one of the most ‘despised’ coin dealers on eBay……and sent it in….and here’s the results…..Not too shabby….. Original eBay auction, PCGS graded slab PR64…with a proof mintage of 813. Trueview initially showing it as an MS64…with really horrendous pictures that look nothing like the coin. It has been updated to show as a PR64 now. (You can see how Denver Coins really ‘juiced’ their ad photo……🤔😉
I was at that sale and remember it (sort of) well. Fabulous quality! I remember buying the best 1919-D Walker I’ve ever seen, which I flipped to Bruce Amspacher for what was probably a record price at that time. I also remember a complete original matched gem 6 piece set of 1873 pattern trade dollars, which was probably the prettiest of the only 3-4 such sets I’ve ever seen. (Of the maybe 75 sets produced, most were broken up long, long ago.) And lots of amazing MS and proof Barber coins. I remember ColonelJessop paying a crazy price for an amazing proof Barber quarter, which he somehow managed to flip for a profit. (1893 IIRC.) Fun times!
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
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