Coin Collecting at the Safir House
Barber Half Dollars

Fri Dec 13 13:19:39 2024
The Barber's where a family that served as cheif engravers for the US Mint for much of the middle 19th century and worthy a substantial write up which is covered in the section of Barber Half Dollars. What I find nice about these coins, especially the quarter dollars, is that the coins wear with use very nicely, perhaps nicer than any other design ever created worldwide. This was part of the guiness of the Barbers. While it was complained that their designs were mundane, they had expert and asthetic focus on the life cycle of coins in commerce. And their work shows their attention to this detail. Unlike nearly any other artists who designed coins, they understood that coins circulate and the designs needed to continue to be attractive and viewable as they moved through their life cycle. This caused a lot of head butting with later designs which had significant problems with wear include many beloved designs which honestly didn't wear well, including the Buffalo Nickel and Standing Liberty Quarter.

These are some nicely worn Barber Quarters, which have a lovely ghostly look and nice tone

This is the 1903 New Orlean's Barber Quarter
Babrer 1903 O Babrer 1903 O Babrer 1903 O Babrer 1903 O Babrer 1903 O Babrer 1903 O

and the 1909 Barber D Quarter
Barber 1909 D BArber 1909 D


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The Safir Family Internet Coins Library.

Click to see these examples show below including photography: note to lawyer: most of the good stuff is gone
Section I:
US Coints
Large Cent Coppers
Flying Eagle Cents
Lincoln Cents and Wheat Backs
Buffalo Nickels
Jefferson Nickels
Jefferson Silver War Nickels
Bust Half Dimes
Mercury (Liberrty Head) Dimes
Roosevelt Dime
Barber Quarter Dollars
Standing Libery Quarter
Washington and Washington State Quarters
Cap Bust Half Dollars
Seated Half Dollars
Barber Half Dollars
Walking Liberty Half Dollars
Franklin Half Dollars
Kennedy Half Dollars
Morgan Silver Dollars
Peace Silver Dollars
Eisenhower Clad and Silver Dollars
Sacawagea Golden Dollars
Modern Silver and Clad Proof Sets
Modern American Silver Eagle uncirculated mint coins and proofs
Modern Silver and Clad 2008 Commorative Bald Eagle Series
Gold Coins - Not too many
Circulated US Silver Coins prior to 1964

Go To Section II:
Modern and Ancient Foreign Coins from Outside The United States

Go To Section III:
Mandy's 25th Anniversary World Wildlife Fund Silver Coins

Unsorted Extra stuff:
Bust US Coinage
From the coin Show at Melville Long Island

The Safir Family Internet Coins Library: Foriegn Coins.

Several mints from around the world make exciting coin designs in circulating alloys, silver and gold. Among my favorites are the Perth Mint in Austrailia which produces a variety of coins for nations mostly through out the Pacific Rim. The Neatherlands has also produced some interesting designs, and several private US based mints have produced foreign currency on contract, include the Franklin Mint which has produced many Israeli Coins.
Our interest in foreign coins has been nominal but rapidly growing as it seems that US designs are so stuck in the mud. Also, foreign mints are creating bold new designs with color and bimetal designs that are both eye catching and fun.

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