1908 Barber Quarter

1908 Barber quarters are generally considered common, and most were minted in substantial numbers, save for the San Francisco issue. The 1908-S Barber quarter is the tough date of the group of quarters from that year and was minted in a number of less than 1 million.

Here’s a breakdown of 1908 Barber quarter mintages and values:

• 1908 – 4,232,000; $13

• 1908-D – 5,788,000; $13

• 1908-O – 6,244,000; $13

• 1908-S – 784,000; $25

• 1908 proof – 545 - $850

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

Barber quarters from 1908 are easy to locate and generally quite affordable, too. Even with the 1908-S and the four regular issues (most years in the series saw only three), the total cost for acquiring all four business strikes in Good is less than $70 with current market values.

The 1908 proof Barber quarter is the most expensive single issue from that year. However, most coin collectors assembling a series set of business strikes don’t need the proof issues to complete such a collection. The Barber quarter was first released in 1892 and was designed by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber, whose Barber coins (the obverse design on the quarter also appeared on the dime and half dollar) replaced the Seated Liberty coinage that first appeared in the late 1830s.