1903 Barber Dime

1903 Barber dimes easy enough to find, in terms of date, at most coin dealers, but includes one of the series’ more expensive semi-key issues. The 1903 San Francisco-mint dime sought after particularly by collectors who want to obtain one example of each date-and-mintmark combination.

Here’s a breakdown of the mintages and values of 1903 Barber dimes:

• 1903 – 19,500,000; $5

• 1903-O – 8,180,000; $8

• 1903-S – 613,300; $84

• 1903 proof – 755; $600

*Values are for coins in a grade of Good-4, unless otherwise noted.

The 1903-S Barber dime, at around $85 for an example in a grade of Good, is quite scarce by modern-day standards. Primarily, very few of those coins were ever saved to begin with, and those that were typically are very low-grade specimens, with some not even breaking above the About Good range. If you’re looking to buy a 1093-S Barber dime, take the time necessary to seek out an example in at least Good both for the sake of eye appeal and also to maximize the opportunity that the value may rise in years to come.

The Philadelphia and New Orleans issues from 1903 are far more common than the S mint and can be had for small premiums over their intrinsic silver value. The proof example is rare but generally only sought by die-hard Barber dime enthusiasts.