On Saturday morning, January 2, 1892, at precisely 9 a.m., the Philadelphia Mint’s presses roared to life, striking the first Barber dimes in American history.
Born from a failed design competition that attracted nearly 300 artists but produced no worthy designs, Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber stepped in to create what would become one of America’s most collected silver coin series.
These elegant 90% silver dimes would witness America’s transformation from the Gilded Age through World War I, creating countless stories along the way – including the legendary tale of a young girl who spent one of the world’s rarest coins on ice cream.
Coin Value Contents Table
Barber Dime Value Chart (1892-1899)
| Year | GOOD | FINE | AU | MS | PR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | $11.40 | $32.50 | $115.00 | $831.43 | — |
| 1892-O | $22.20 | $91.83 | $190.00 | $1213.33 | — |
| 1892-S | $82.60 | $285.00 | $490.00 | $1550.00 | — |
| 1892 PR | — | — | $205.00 | — | $962.86 |
| 1893 | $15.40 | $57.83 | $150.00 | $768.33 | — |
| 1893/2 | $142.70 | $316.67 | $1240.00 | $3448.00 | — |
| 1893-O | $52.00 | $165.00 | $295.00 | $1520.00 | — |
| 1893-S | $22.60 | $133.50 | $300.00 | $1780.00 | — |
| 1893 PR | — | — | $205.00 | — | $1008.57 |
| 1894 | $41.20 | $176.67 | $275.00 | $1794.29 | — |
| 1894-O | $73.20 | $378.33 | $1135.00 | $8211.67 | — |
| 1894-S PR | — | — | — | — | $1840000.00 |
| 1894 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $962.86 |
| 1895 | $120.60 | $476.67 | $770.00 | $3402.86 | — |
| 1895-O | $482.00 | $2011.67 | $3885.00 | $20466.67 | — |
| 1895-S | $58.80 | $261.67 | $455.00 | $2234.00 | — |
| 1895 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $962.86 |
| 1896 | $15.80 | $101.67 | $250.00 | $863.33 | — |
| 1896-O | $140.60 | $466.67 | $1215.00 | $6950.00 | — |
| 1896-S | $163.60 | $403.33 | $1010.00 | $2510.00 | — |
| 1896 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $778.33 |
| 1897 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $1212.86 | — |
| 1897-O | $92.20 | $453.33 | $720.00 | $3518.33 | — |
| 1897-S | $38.60 | $183.33 | $385.00 | $2175.00 | — |
| 1897 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $962.86 |
| 1898 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $810.00 | — |
| 1898-O | $29.06 | $203.33 | $445.00 | $6122.86 | — |
| 1898-S | $19.60 | $86.83 | $305.00 | $2201.67 | — |
| 1898 PR | — | — | $205.00 | — | $962.86 |
| 1899 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $975.71 | — |
| 1899-O | $22.40 | $155.00 | $285.00 | $2420.00 | — |
| 1899-S | $17.40 | $60.17 | $210.00 | $1518.33 | — |
| 1899 PR | — | — | $205.00 | — | $962.86 |
Barber Dime Value Chart (1900-1909)
| Year | GOOD | FINE | AU | MS | PR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $411.67 | — |
| 1900-O | $28.20 | $188.33 | $415.00 | $2308.33 | — |
| 1900-S | $13.47 | $44.00 | $110.00 | $1493.33 | — |
| 1900 PR | — | — | — | — | $962.86 |
| 1901 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $465.00 | — |
| 1901-O | $12.20 | $61.83 | $260.00 | $1845.00 | — |
| 1901-S | $114.20 | $486.67 | $900.00 | $5561.43 | — |
| 1901 PR | — | — | — | — | $1238.57 |
| 1902 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $541.67 | — |
| 1902-O | $11.60 | $54.17 | $215.00 | $2290.00 | — |
| 1902-S | $23.80 | $110.67 | $285.00 | $1765.00 | — |
| 1902 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $1375.71 |
| 1903 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $468.33 | — |
| 1903-O | $14.20 | $59.17 | $175.00 | $2326.67 | — |
| 1903-S | $90.60 | $563.33 | $1055.00 | $2373.33 | — |
| 1903 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $962.86 |
| 1904 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $536.67 | — |
| 1904-S | $59.20 | $306.67 | $800.00 | $3073.33 | — |
| 1904 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $1258.57 |
| 1905 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $541.67 | — |
| 1905-O | $14.80 | $88.67 | $205.00 | $923.33 | — |
| 1905-O Micro O | $77.20 | $455.00 | $1535.00 | $7264.00 | — |
| 1905-S | $13.40 | $41.17 | $120.00 | $616.67 | — |
| 1905 PR | — | — | $180.00 | — | $962.86 |
| 1906 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $341.67 | — |
| 1906-D | $11.40 | $32.83 | $130.00 | $968.33 | — |
| 1906-O | $15.60 | $99.17 | $220.00 | $1204.29 | — |
| 1906-S | $11.27 | $44.17 | $190.00 | $978.33 | — |
| 1906 PR | — | — | $205.00 | — | $962.86 |
| 1907 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $403.33 | — |
| 1907-D | $11.40 | $44.17 | $170.00 | $2680.00 | — |
| 1907-O | $12.60 | $64.00 | $180.00 | $903.33 | — |
| 1907-S | $11.27 | $52.67 | $200.00 | $2056.67 | — |
| 1907 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $740.00 |
| 1908 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $341.67 | — |
| 1908-D | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $513.33 | — |
| 1908-O | $12.40 | $80.67 | $225.00 | $853.33 | — |
| 1908-S | $11.27 | $40.33 | $220.00 | $993.33 | — |
| 1908 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $962.86 |
| 1909 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $356.67 | — |
| 1909-D | $18.44 | $120.00 | $290.00 | $1576.67 | — |
| 1909-O | $14.04 | $59.17 | $215.00 | $1176.67 | — |
| 1909-S | $22.41 | $171.67 | $435.00 | $2508.33 | — |
| 1909 PR | — | — | $205.00 | — | $962.86 |
Barber Dime Value Chart (1910-1916)
| Year | GOOD | FINE | AU | MS | PR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $785.71 | — |
| 1910-D | $11.27 | $41.83 | $145.00 | $1025.00 | — |
| 1910-S | $14.27 | $104.17 | $250.00 | $1326.67 | — |
| 1910 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $3602.50 |
| 1911 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $588.57 | — |
| 1911-D | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $445.00 | — |
| 1911-S | $11.40 | $38.50 | $145.00 | $1080.00 | — |
| 1911 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $2505.00 |
| 1912 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $341.67 | — |
| 1912-D | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $456.67 | — |
| 1912-S | $11.27 | $37.50 | $135.00 | $995.00 | — |
| 1912 PR | — | — | $205.00 | — | $1390.00 |
| 1913 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $341.67 | — |
| 1913-S | $42.40 | $240.00 | $540.00 | $2346.67 | — |
| 1913 PR | — | — | — | — | $2855.00 |
| 1914 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $341.67 | — |
| 1914-D | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $445.00 | — |
| 1914-S | $11.40 | $38.50 | $130.00 | $806.67 | — |
| 1914 PR | — | — | $250.00 | — | $1234.29 |
| 1915 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $341.67 | — |
| 1915-S | $13.60 | $79.33 | $180.00 | $876.67 | — |
| 1915 PR | — | — | $230.00 | — | $1235.00 |
| 1916 | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $341.67 | — |
| 1916-S | $11.40 | $31.67 | $115.00 | $448.33 | — |
Summary: Barber dime Value
The Barber dime circulated for exactly 25 years, from 1892 to 1916, with over half a billion pieces struck across four mints. While most dates are readily available to collectors, the series contains one of the greatest rarities in American numismatics – the 1894-S, with only 24 pieces minted and just 10 known to survive today.
Whether pursuing a complete set of 74 different date and mintmark combinations, hunting for varieties like the 1905-O Micro O, or simply appreciating these coins for their silver content and historical significance, Barber dimes offer collectors a tangible connection to America’s industrial age. Each coin represents not just monetary value, but a piece of the American story from an era of rapid change and growth.
