About Barber Coinage- Enlighten Me

I love Barber coinage for a couple of reasons.

First: Although the obverse is ho hum, I love the reverse design.
Second: In circulated condition except for the quarter there aren't any (in my opinion) crazy expensive keys.
Third: (and my favorite) These coins were extensively used for their purpose and at the time when they were being used, they represented real buying power. I kind of like to think of it on a modern basis. I know this isn't absolutely correct buy if you x10 the face value of the coin you kind of get an idea of what the buying power of the coin was. So a dime would buy roughly what a dollar would today and the half would be equitable to a 5 dollar bill. I get a real sense of history with this series that I don't get with any other.

I have one of each as well; dime, quarter and half in my 7070. The reverse is also one of my first memories of "old" coins from when I was a kid in 70's when I was looking through a Photograde book at the library and wanting one where I could see the details in the feathers on the eagle.

One of each of the major type is enough for me.

1. It's a coin you can use a shorter name than Liberty Head.
2. Not old enough to be real expensive yet you can say I collect old coins
3. Not modern enough to feel like your collecting just new stuff
4. For Dimes, Quarters and Halves, next back in time is someone sitting down and many would rather have a face to look at.
5. None are hardly ever found in change so you can say I collect rare coins.
6. Collectors are glad to say I collect coins without some dead person on them
7. Looks like the Matron Head on Large Cents so Large Cent collectors collect Morgan coins to match.
8. Sounds impressive to say Morgan Coins and easy to say.

All of the above are just kidding stuff you know. They are sort of nice detailed coins.

as a quick follow up, I thought of a 4th reason which carl aluded to.

For what they are they aren't that expensive. Just for a for instance take LWC and compare the mintage numbers vs price to buy. The svdb had a mintage just shy of 500k. Even in p1 condition you're looking at $500. Now look at the 13P,14P, and 15P Halves. If you combine the mintage numbers for all three of those it won't add up to how many svdb's were made. That said, I've been able to pick up all 3 in AG or FR for less than $100 total. AND I'm willing to bet in relationship to survivability the svdb has done much much better.

It's not difficult to complete a LWC set if you have money to throw at it. But that's not necessarily the case for Barbers.

If you love the hunt and your up for a challenge set out to complete an XF/AU set of the Barber halves. It will take you quite sometime and money to complete.

I am contemplating starting this in 2012 but I will probably allow some VF's in the collection.

The dime and quarters are the same but there are some real expensive coins in these other denominations.

The major thing about these coins is they come in very low grade or in very high grade. Trying to collect these coins in the middle grades is VERY challenging. They aren't really expensive in those grades, but they are extremely difficult to find. The reason for this was the national economy at the end of the series. Typically once a series ends the coins will continue circulating with an ever decreasing supply for about ten to fifteen years. But within just a few years after the end of the Barbers the economy entered a post war recession. This kept the coins in circulation because people could not afford to hold onto the coins during the trying times. After the recession coins started disappearing again. But then about six years later it happened again with the Great Depression. Once again any coins the average family had were pressed into service and circulated circulated circulated. Coins that should have all pretty much been retired by 1930 were still in use into the late 1940's. This results in a lot of LOW grade coins and few middle grades.

I carry around a 1901 (can't tell about the MM, too worn down) Barber Half as my "pocket piece".

Imagine my surprise when I found out he was a she...

Decent quarter/half reverse, though