1892 Barber Half Dollar

The Liberty Seated half dollar had been in production since 1839, and by the late 1880s, the public was already requesting that the U.S. change the design on the denomination, as well as the dime and quarter, on which the Liberty Seated motif also appeared. In 1891, a design competition was announced in which artists around the United States could submit their entries for the dime, quarter, and half dollar. It was eventually decided that Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber would create the new designs for the three denominations.

The new coins feature an obverse design of Liberty’s head, and the reverse shows a heraldic eagle. Many people in the public loved the coins, but some in the numismatic community were lukewarm to the new design. Barber would receive extensive recognition for his Liberty head design, and all the U.S. Liberty Head coins that debuted in 1892 would eventually be called “Barber” coins by collectors and the public alike.

1892 Barber half dollars were struck in fairly substantial quantities, as the mintage figures below indicate:

• 1892 – 934,000; $30

• 1892-O – 390,000; $350

• 1892-O Micro O – Less than 100 known to exist; $5,150

• 1892-S – 1,029,028; $250

• 1892 proof – 1,245; $900

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

Only the Philadelphia 1892 half dollar remains affordable for most numismatists. The branch mint 1892 Barber halves are quite scarce, with the New Orleans “micro O” variety garnering a huge following by Barber enthusiasts, many of whom vie to be one of the roughly 100 or so possible owners at a single time. Beware of counterfeits when you want to buy an 1892 micro O half dollars; it is best to buy one that is slabbed in sonically sealed plastic from a reputable third-party coin grader.