Values
A Barber dime’s market depends on the date, the mint mark, and the grade. 1894-S is a Proof conversation. This page is a series reference, not a price list.
The G, VF, and MS-63 columns sit in the mintage chart below. Those figures are from the NGC US Coin Price Guide, retrieved 2026-08-23. They are a published guide, not an offer and not melt. A blank cell means that grade was not printed in this pass. 1916-P and 1916-S stay mintage-only on the parent line because the pamphlet does not split Barber from Mercury. Values sit on the NGC Barber splits.
A dealer looking at the coin in hand will beat a guide number. If you are trying to sell a pile of them, start with how to sell a coin collection and the Ohio coin dealer directory.
Key Dates
These are the dates collectors ask about first. This is a name list, not a price list and not a mintage table. PCGS CoinFacts names them. Do not call every low-mintage Barber a key.
- 1894-S
- 1895-O
Key date names: NGC Coin Explorer. This is a name list, not a price list.
Key dates are bolded on the mintage chart.
1895-O is the circulation key. 1894-S is the Proof rarity. A worn common date is still worn.
Errors
These are named varieties. They are not extra pamphlet rows. The 1974 Mint table does not split them out, and this page will not invent a count.
1894-S. Not a circulation error. PCGS CoinFacts lists it as 1894-S 10C. The pamphlet prints 24 dimes. NGC priced the listing as Proof only. G, VF, and MS-63 stay blank. The PF-63 cell sits in the note on that row.
1905-O Micro O. The mint mark under the wreath is smaller than the usual 1905-O. The G / VF / MS-63 cells sit on that variety row under 1905-O. The pamphlet does not split it, so that mintage cell is an em dash.
1916-P and 1916-S are mixed pamphlet totals. That is not an error. Values sit on the NGC Barber splits.
Compare the coin in hand to the NGC Coin Explorer Barber page. We do not host their plates.
Varieties
Barber dimes do not split into design types the way Buffalo nickels do. Repunched mint marks exist. This page does not turn every one into a named variety.
Names follow PCGS CoinFacts and NGC, the same publishers this site already cites. This is a name list, not a price list and not a count.
Mintage
Barber dimes were struck at Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, and — later — Denver during the 1892–1916 run. Not every mint struck every year. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. The counts below are the pamphlet dime cells in this repository.
| Year | Mint | Mintage | NGC ID | G | VF | MS-63 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | P | 12,121,245 | 14796 | $7 | $30 | $250 |
| 1892 | S | 990,710 | 14798 | $85 | $225 | $800 |
| 1892 | O | 3,841,700 | 14797 | $15 | $70 | $400 |
| 1893 | P | 3,340,792 | 14800 | $11 | $30 | $245 |
| 1893 | S | 2,491,401 | 14802 | $20 | $65 | $875 |
| 1893 | O | 1,760,000 | 14801 | $45 | $175 | $600 |
| 1894 | P | 1,330,972 | 14803 | $40 | $150 | $525 |
| 1894 | S | 24 Pamphlet prints 24 dimes; PCGS/NGC treat 1894-S as Proof only. NGC printed PF-63 $1,200,000. | 14805 | — | — | — |
| 1894 | O | 720,000 | 14804 | $70 | $320 | $3,750 |
| 1895 | P | 690,880 | 14806 | $90 | $495 | $1,000 |
| 1895 | S | 1,120,000 | 14808 | $60 | $200 | $1,150 |
| 1895 | O | 440,000 | 14807 | $435 | $1,950 | $12,500 |
| 1896 | P | 2,000,762 | 14809 | $20 | $80 | $450 |
| 1896 | S | 575,056 | 14811 | $75 | $365 | $1,450 |
| 1896 | O | 610,000 | 14810 | $85 | $475 | $2,650 |
| 1897 | P | 10,869,264 | 14812 | $3 | $25 | $175 |
| 1897 | S | 1,342,844 | 14814 | $26 | $140 | $1,250 |
| 1897 | O | 666,000 | 14813 | $75 | $360 | $1,575 |
| 1898 | P | 16,320,735 | 14815 | $3 | $28 | $180 |
| 1898 | S | 1,702,507 | 14817 | $12 | $55 | $1,350 |
| 1898 | O | 2,130,000 | 14816 | $23.50 | $135 | $1,100 |
| 1899 | P | 19,580,846 | 14818 | $3 | $20 | $175 |
| 1899 | S | 1,867,493 | 14820 | $10 | $55 | $650 |
| 1899 | O | 2,650,000 | 14819 | $16 | $110 | $1,000 |
| 1900 | P | 17,600,912 | 14821 | $3 | $10 | $225 |
| 1900 | S | 5,168,270 | 14823 | $5 | $38 | $400 |
| 1900 | O | 2,010,000 | 14822 | $32 | $210 | $1,200 |
| 1901 | P | 18,860,478 | 14824 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1901 | S | 593,022 | 14826 | $100 | $445 | $2,125 |
| 1901 | O | 5,620,000 | 14825 | $5 | $70 | $925 |
| 1902 | P | 21,380,777 | 14827 | $3 | $10 | $215 |
| 1902 | S | 2,070,000 | 14829 | $15 | $130 | $950 |
| 1902 | O | 4,500,000 | 14828 | $5 | $70 | $825 |
| 1903 | P | 19,500,755 | 14830 | $3 | $10 | $230 |
| 1903 | S | 613,300 | 14832 | $100 | $615 | $1,700 |
| 1903 | O | 8,180,000 | 14831 | $5 | $35 | $525 |
| 1904 | P | 14,601,027 | 14833 | $3 | $10 | $190 |
| 1904 | S | 800,000 | 14834 | $65 | $290 | $1,850 |
| 1905 | P | 14,552,350 | 14835 | $3 | $10 | $250 |
| 1905 | S | 6,855,199 | 14837 | $4.50 | $27 | $290 |
| 1905 | O | 3,400,000 | 14836 | $30 | $65 | $435 |
| 1905 | O Micro O | — Pamphlet does not split this variety from the mintage above. | 14872 | $75 | $260 | $6,000 |
| 1906 | P | 19,958,406 | 14838 | $3 | $10 | $225 |
| 1906 | D | 4,060,000 | 14839 | $4.50 | $34 | $365 |
| 1906 | S | 3,136,640 | 14841 | $6 | $28 | $650 |
| 1906 | O | 2,610,000 | 14840 | $9 | $85 | $400 |
| 1907 | P | 22,220,575 | 14842 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1907 | D | 4,080,000 | 14843 | $4.50 | $30 | $675 |
| 1907 | S | 3,178,470 | 14845 | $5.50 | $30 | $725 |
| 1907 | O | 5,058,000 | 14844 | $7 | $60 | $325 |
| 1908 | P | 10,600,545 | 14846 | $3 | $10 | $150 |
| 1908 | D | 7,490,000 | 14847 | $3 | $15 | $250 |
| 1908 | S | 3,220,000 | 14849 | $5.50 | $55 | $700 |
| 1908 | O | 1,789,000 | 14848 | $8.50 | $65 | $600 |
| 1909 | P | 10,240,650 | 14850 | $3 | $10 | $200 |
| 1909 | D | 954,000 | 14851 | $12.50 | $100 | $950 |
| 1909 | S | 1,000,000 | 14853 | $16 | $140 | $900 |
| 1909 | O | 2,287,000 | 14852 | $6 | $37 | $675 |
| 1910 | P | 11,520,551 | 14854 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1910 | D | 3,490,000 | 14855 | $5 | $27 | $425 |
| 1910 | S | 1,240,000 | 14856 | $8.50 | $85 | $675 |
| 1911 | P | 18,870,543 | 14857 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1911 | D | 11,209,000 | 14858 | $3 | $10 | $200 |
| 1911 | S | 3,520,000 | 14859 | $3 | $23 | $445 |
| 1912 | P | 19,350,700 | 14860 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1912 | D | 11,760,000 | 14861 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1912 | S | 3,420,000 | 14862 | $3 | $20 | $310 |
| 1913 | P | 19,760,622 | 14863 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1913 | S | 510,000 | 14864 | $55 | $235 | $1,300 |
| 1914 | P | 17,360,655 | 14865 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1914 | D | 11,908,000 | 14866 | $3 | $10 | $235 |
| 1914 | S | 2,100,000 | 14867 | $5 | $30 | $275 |
| 1915 | P | 5,620,450 | 14868 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1915 | S | 960,000 | 14869 | $10.50 | $50 | $475 |
| 1916 | P | 40,670,000 Pamphlet dime total includes Barber + Mercury (not split). | — | — | — | — |
| 1916 | P Barber | — Pamphlet does not split this variety from the mintage above. | 14870 | $3 | $10 | $175 |
| 1916 | S | 16,270,000 Pamphlet dime total includes Barber + Mercury (not split). | — | — | — | — |
| 1916 | S Barber | — Pamphlet does not split this variety from the mintage above. | 14871 | $3 | $10 | $200 |
Mintage: United States, Bureau of the Mint, Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792-1965 (Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1974). Publisher: FRASER / GPO pamphlet.
Collector-standard year/mint presentation follows A Guide Book of United States Coins (the Red Book). These cells are Mint manufacture figures, not a Red Book net or melt.
Values: NGC US Coin Price Guide, retrieved 2026-08-21. Guide values, not offers. Not melt. NGC IDs link to the same publisher’s price-guide listing.
Key date names: NGC Coin Explorer. Bold rows are only dates that publisher named.
NGC ID: NGC Coin Explorer listing number, retrieved 2026-08-21. A dash means this pass did not record an ID. 1916-P and 1916-S parent rows stay a dash. Values sit on the NGC Barber splits. 1894-S and 1905-O Micro O have IDs.
These pamphlet cells are dime manufacture. 1916-P and 1916-S include Barber + Mercury, not split.
No 1913-D, 1915-D, or 1916-D Barber rows. No 1904-O.
PF-63 prints only on 1894-S. Other Barber rows are business strikes. Those proof columns stay off the chart so empty proof cells do not look like missing prices. Barber, Indian Head, and wartime nickel guide cells retrieved 2026-08-23.
These are Bureau of the Mint manufacture figures from the 1974 GPO pamphlet in this repository, not a Red Book net or melt. The grade columns in the same box are NGC guide values from 2026-08-23, not an offer. The pamphlet dime cells are manufacture, not Barber only. 1916-P and 1916-S are Barber plus Mercury, not split.
Read the date. Read the mint mark under the wreath. Look at LIBERTY in the headband before you argue the grade.
Specifications
These are mint specs, not what a dealer pays. Wear can take a little weight off. We will not invent a tolerance.
A Barber dime is the historic .900 silver dime, not the current clad Roosevelt. 1894-S being Proof only is not a spec change.
| Specification | Figure |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 17.91 mm |
| Thickness | 1.35 mm |
| Weight | 2.50 g (38.58 grains) |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Fine silver | 0.07234 troy oz. Melt math uses this figure. It does not appraise a coin. |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | Charles E. Barber |
Diameter and thickness are the U.S. Mint circulating-dime figures (17.91 mm / 1.35 mm). Weight 2.50 g / 38.58 grains and .900 fine are the historic silver-dime standard for this series, not the current clad dime. Fine silver is the same 0.07234 troy oz the melt calculator uses for a pre-1965 dime.
Grading
A Barber dime wears first on Liberty’s cheek and the hair under the laurel, on the wreath, and on LIBERTY in the headband. Those spots go flat before the rest of the coin looks tired.
The mint mark sits below the wreath when there is one. 1894-S is a Proof conversation, not a circulation error. 1916-P and 1916-S pamphlet totals still mix Barber with Mercury.
Key Diagnostic Areas
| Area | What to examine | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Cheek and hair under the laurel | Liberty’s cheek and the locks just under the wreath on her head. | Those high points flatten first. If the cheek is slick, the portrait has been in a pocket. |
| Wreath | The leaves in the reverse wreath, especially the high ones. | The wreath goes slick while the bow can still look busy. |
| LIBERTY on the headband | Whether the letters in the coronet are still there, and how sharp they are. | LIBERTY is the circulated-grade talk on this design. Missing letters are wear, not a variety. |
| Date and mint mark | The numerals under Liberty, and the mint mark below the wreath when there is one. | A worn date is a worn dime. Do not scrape the wreath to force a mint mark. |
Circulated & Mint State
These cards describe this coin, not a second copy of the P-1 through MS-70 chart. The shared numbers live on the glossary.
See graded photos. The photos that show what VF looks like live at PCGS. We do not host their plates. NGC Coin Explorer is another look if you want a second set. Guide values on this page came from the NGC Price Guide.
What each named grade looks like on this design.
Poor
Poor
A silver disk you can still call a Barber if you already know the type.
- The cheek is gone. The wreath is a lump.
- LIBERTY is not a conversation. The date may be a shadow.
- Do not scrape the reverse to force a mint mark.
AG
About Good
You might read a digit. The high points are already slick.
- Hair under the laurel is gone. The cheek is a blank.
- If you cannot read the date without hoping, stay here.
- An 1895-O is still this grade if it is this worn.
Good
Good
The date is readable. The design is still mostly an outline.
- Liberty is a head, not a portrait. Hair is a mass.
- The wreath has no real leaves. LIBERTY is gone or a smear.
- A readable date does not make the headband sharp.
VG
Very Good
The date is clear. A little life returns in the hair and the wreath.
- Some hair comes back under the laurel. The cheek is still tired.
- A few letters of LIBERTY may hint at themselves.
- The wreath starts to show leftover leaves. Do not clean it to “see it better.”
Fine
Fine
You can follow the portrait and the wreath. The high points are outlined, not sharp.
- Hair under the laurel is outlined. The cheek is not crisp.
- LIBERTY is starting to read. The wreath shows leftover leaves.
- The date is clear. 1895-O is still this grade if it is this worn.
VF
Very Fine
The wreath is doing real work. Cheek and LIBERTY still decide.
- Leftover strands under the laurel. The cheek is not slick.
- LIBERTY is readable. Full letters are the argument, not a slogan.
- More of the wreath is there. A regular 1916 is still this grade if it is this worn.
EF
Extremely Fine
Most of the dime looks sharp. The cheek, the wreath, and LIBERTY tell on it.
- Light wear on the cheek, the hair under the laurel, and the high leaves.
- The date is sharp. The mint mark below the wreath, if there is one, should be too.
- The rest of the coin can look better than the grade. Trust the high points.
AU
About Uncirculated
Almost no wear — and “almost” lives on the cheek and the wreath.
- A trace of rub on the cheek and on the high leaves.
- The date should be full. Luster may still sit in the protected spots.
- A bright dime with a slick cheek is still a slick cheek.
Basal MS
Mint State
No wear. The fight is marks and luster, not how white the dime looks.
- No rub on the cheek, the wreath, LIBERTY, or the date.
- Marks and luster decide how this mint-state coin lives.
- 1894-S is a Proof conversation. Do not promote a business strike because it is white.
Choice
Choice Mint State
Still no wear. Cleaner fields than basal mint state.
- Same no-wear rule on the cheek, the wreath, and the date.
- Fewer marks in the fields. Luster is more intact.
- 1916-P versus 1916 Mercury is a type split, not a grade.
Gem
Gem Mint State
A clean cheek, wreath, and fields for a Barber. Still mint state, still not a story.
- No wear on the cheek or the wreath.
- Marks and luster, not a romance about 1894-S copied onto a business-strike column.
- A slab is an opinion in plastic. The glossary has the numbers.
Proof Barber dimes exist for the run. 1894-S is Proof only on this chart — NGC printed a PF-63 cell, not G / VF / MS-63. This page does not invent a PR price grid for the business-strike rows. The proof numbers live on the glossary.
Copper color designations (BN, RB, RD) do not apply here. Those belong on copper coins such as the Indian Head cent. See the Lincoln Wheat cent and the glossary.
Overview
A Barber dime is a United States ten-cent coin with Liberty in a laurel wreath on the front and a wreath of corn, wheat, maple, and oak on the back. Collectors mean the coins struck from 1892 through 1916. People also call it the Liberty Head dime. Both names point at the same Barber design.
People like them because the type still reads across a table, the date-and-mint combinations give you something to chase, and the worn ones show up in jars. They are also easy to ruin. A wiped coin looks “better” to a seller and worse to everyone else.
This page is a series article, not a shop listing.
History
The series starts in 1892 with Charles E. Barber’s design. It replaces the Seated Liberty dime. New Orleans strikes run through 1909. Denver starts in 1906. There is no 1913-D, 1915-D, 1916-D, or 1904-O Barber in the pamphlet table this page uses.
In 1916 the Mint introduces Weinman’s Mercury dime. 1916-P and 1916-S pamphlet dime totals still mix Barber with Mercury. This page will not pretend to split those counts. Values sit on the NGC Barber lines. The Mercury page does the same honesty from the other side.
This page will not invent a shop list or a melt story to fill the years between.
Design
Obverse: Liberty facing right in a laurel wreath, “LIBERTY” on the headband, “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and the date. Reverse: a wreath around “ONE DIME.” The mint mark sits below the wreath when the coin is not from Philadelphia.
Look at the cheek, the hair under the laurel, LIBERTY in the headband, and the wreath. Those spots go flat first.
Proof Barbers exist for the run. 1894-S is Proof only on this chart. They were made as proofs, not as circulation strikes that someone shined later.
People Also Ask
What years are Barber dimes?
Circulation Barber dimes were struck from 1892 through 1916. There is no 1913-D, 1915-D, 1916-D, or 1904-O Barber in the pamphlet table this page uses.
How much is a Barber dime worth?
It depends on the date, the mint mark, and the grade. The G, VF, and MS-63 columns in the mintage chart are NGC guide values from 2026-08-23, not an offer. A dealer looking at the actual coin will beat a guide number.
Why are 1916-P and 1916-S values on a Barber line?
The pamphlet 1916-P and 1916-S dime totals mix Barber and Mercury. Values sit on the NGC Barber splits. This page will not pretend to split those counts.
Is 1894-S a circulation strike?
No. PCGS and NGC treat 1894-S as Proof only. The pamphlet prints 24 dimes. This chart leaves G, VF, and MS-63 blank and prints the PF-63 cell NGC gave that listing.
What is a 1905-O Micro O?
A named mint-mark variety. The O under the wreath is smaller than the usual 1905-O. The pamphlet does not split it, so that variety mintage stays an em dash.
Collector Considerations
Buy the coin, not the story. A common late date in a high grade can cost more than a better date that has already lost LIBERTY. That is normal.
If you inherited a jar, do not scrub the date to “see it better.” Keep them in the holders they arrived in, or in cheap cardboard flips, and take the box to a person who sees Barber dimes every week. The coin dealer directory starts in Ohio. This site does not invent shop names to fill a paragraph.
Raw coins are fine. So are slabs. What is not fine is a coin that has been cleaned until the fields look like glass, then offered as “original.” Say what happened if you know. A dealer will see it anyway.
If you collect by type, one honest circulated Barber will teach you the headband and the wreath. If you collect by mint mark, give yourself time. 1895-O and 1894-S are the names on the key list. The rest is homework.
For the dime that replaced this one, read the Mercury dime page. For the Roosevelt design after that, read the Roosevelt dime. For the silver Roosevelt years, read the pre-65 Roosevelt dime. For Barber’s 5-cent design, read the Liberty Head nickel.
A Final Word
Barber dimes reward people who slow down. Read the date. Read the mint mark under the wreath. Look at LIBERTY. Leave the polish under the sink.
When you want another series on this site, the Mercury dime, the Roosevelt dime, and the pre-65 Roosevelt dime are already here.