| In 1887, Mint Director James P. Kimball noted in his | | | | are MS/PR60+ condition. Robert Freidberg bought |
| annual report the "inferiority of our coinage" | | | | this coin over the counter for $2.40 (24 times |
| compared to other advanced nations and that in | | | | face value) at Gimbels Department Store, NY, in |
| his opinion, the coinage of the U.S. was out of | | | | 1957. If it is the "Ice Cream Specimen", it certainly |
| date and should be changed. At the request of | | | | got around. |
| Kimball, Senator Justin S. Morill introduced a bill | | | | Why did the mint only produce 24 dimes that |
| authorizing the Treasury Department to redesign | | | | year? There are two stories. The first is that the |
| coins without first obtaining the permission of | | | | coins were struck to provide a balance of forty |
| Congress, as long as the current design had been | | | | cents needed to close a bullion account at the San |
| in use for at least 25 years. The bill passed on | | | | Francisco Mint by June 30, 1894 - the end of the |
| September 26, 1890 and the dime, quarter and | | | | fiscal year. Since any even numbered (2, 4, 6, 8) |
| half dollar were targeted for change. The decision | | | | dollar amount ending in forty cents was |
| of who should redesign the coins eventually fell to | | | | acceptable, the employees were said to have |
| his successor, Edward O. Leech. | | | | struck 24 pieces, or $2.40. The expectation was |
| Ironically, new designs were submitted by Mint | | | | that the Mint would receive orders for more |
| engravers throughout the early 1880's but the | | | | dimes before the end of the calendar year. |
| only change that occurred was a new nickel | | | | December 31 passed without a request for |
| designed by Charles E. Barber in 1883. In 1891, | | | | further production. According to the story, two or |
| when there was discussion of a public competition | | | | three pieces were obtained by Mint employees |
| for new designs. Barber reported to Mint director | | | | "just to have a new dime," and when they |
| Kimball that there was no one in the country | | | | realized the coins were now rare, they sold them |
| capable in assisting him in preparing original designs. | | | | to collectors for $25 or more apiece. The |
| Augustus Saint-Gaudens confided to Kimball there | | | | remaining 1894-S dimes went into a bag with |
| were only four men in the world competent do to | | | | other dimes and into circulation. The more widely |
| such a redesign: three were in France and he was | | | | accept story is that the dimes were minted as a |
| the fourth. It did not matter. Kimball insisted that | | | | special request for some visiting bankers. |
| rather than going abroad to find the best design | | | | According to an account from California dealer |
| talent available, it would be possible to find able | | | | Earl Parker, who bought the two remaining dimes |
| designers in America. Against the advice of | | | | that Hallie Daggett had, Hallie told Parker that her |
| Barber, the Treasury Department organized a | | | | father minted the coins and presented 3 to each |
| competition to produce new designs. A panel of | | | | of the 7 visitors and gave the remaining three to |
| 10 of the leading artist and sculptors of the day | | | | her which has previously mentioned, she spent |
| were commissioned to judge which would be the | | | | one dime on ice cream. |
| best designs for new coinage. The panel met and | | | | Most experts believe the "visiting bankers" theory |
| instead of discussing the competition, they instead | | | | as the likely reason. Of the known high grade |
| rejected the terms of the competition as | | | | coins, they all seem to be proof strikes. It is |
| proposed by Mint officials on the ground that the | | | | unlikely that such care would have taken place to |
| preparation time was too short and the | | | | produce a few dimes to even out the books but |
| compensation woeful. The Mint director rejected | | | | it quite likely for coins made for presentation. |
| the panels' suggestions and threw the competition | | | | Putting the 1894-S aside, most, if not all dimes |
| out to the public. The results were disastrous. Of | | | | are readily available in low grades. Collecting the |
| the more than 300 drawings submitted, only two | | | | series in higher grades is still achievable but |
| received an honorable mention by a smaller | | | | certainly more challenging. Recall that this coin was |
| judging panel. It is interesting to note that two of | | | | heavily circulated. Assembling a collecting of all |
| the judges were Barber and Saint-Gaudens. | | | | MS65 or better, while no doubt out of the financial |
| When Leech took over as Mint director, he was | | | | reach of most collectors, is possible, as there is at |
| well aware of the problems his predecessor had | | | | least 1 coin graded in MS65 by PCGS for each |
| experienced. In order to get new designs into | | | | mint and year. For the rest of us, collecting this |
| production and avoid another disaster of a | | | | series in average circulated grades is without a |
| competition, he simply directed Barber to draw up | | | | doubt doable. Back during the days of this coin, a |
| new designs. This is what Barber had wanted all | | | | dime was real money and as such, this series is |
| along has he felt as Chief Engraver, he, and he | | | | heavily circulated. While many dates had mintages |
| alone was responsible for coin design. | | | | in the millions, there are a few dates where the |
| The result was not much in the way of originality. | | | | total mintage is around 500,000 thereby making |
| That would have to wait for more than another | | | | the acquisition of these a little more challenging |
| 25 years. What Barber did was to modify the | | | | and painful to the wallet/purse. For example, the |
| large head used on the Morgan dollar by adding a | | | | 1895-O had a mintage of 440,000. Obtaining this |
| Liberty cap and cropping Liberty's hair shorter in | | | | coin in a grade of G to VG could cost you |
| back. He then placed his initial B on the truncation | | | | between $400-$600. It only gets worse from |
| of the neck. This was the design used not only on | | | | there as an XF-40 will cost you over $2000. The |
| the dime, but the new quarter and the new half | | | | 1901-S had a mintage of 593,022 and is not quite |
| dollar as well. | | | | as expensive and can be had for less than $100 in |
| The reverse did not go through much of an | | | | G condition and for around $500 in XF-40 |
| overhaul either as it uses almost the exact same | | | | condition. The 1903-S had a mintage of 613,300 |
| reverse of its predecessor, the Seated Liberty | | | | and is similar priced on lower grades but is higher |
| Dime. While many do not credit Barber with much | | | | priced than the 1901-S in higher grades suggesting |
| artistic ability, what he lacked in design capabilities | | | | the 1903-S did not fair as well in circulation. The |
| he made up for in knowledge in regards to | | | | second lowest mintage dime was the 1913-S with |
| designing a coin that would withstand a modern | | | | a mintage of 510,000. While having the second |
| high-speed coin press. On January 2, 1892, the | | | | lowest mintage, it is not in the top 10 as far as |
| first of over half a billion Barber dimes were | | | | price and can be had for around $20 in G4 and |
| struck. | | | | $35 for VG8. Earlier coins, even those with |
| Collectibility | | | | mintages over a million pieces, will cost you more |
| General | | | | than the 1913-S suggesting that earlier dates, |
| The Barber dime series consists of 74 regular | | | | even those with high mintages may be tough to |
| issues, plus the super-rare 1894-S. While half a | | | | acquire. |
| billion dimes for an entire series pales in | | | | If the cost of an entire set is too much, a year |
| comparison to today's coin production, it was big | | | | set could prove to be a much more frugal |
| numbers back in the 1800's. With a low relief, | | | | approach. As mentioned earlier, the Philadelphia |
| Barber dimes faired well and although there are a | | | | mint generally produced the majority of Barber |
| few semi-key issues (not including 1894-s), an | | | | dimes. The only year that a branch-mint |
| entire set in circulated condition can be assembled | | | | exceeded production of Philadelphia was in 1895 |
| for under $1500.00 in G4 or so condition. As is | | | | when Philadelphia produced only 690,880 pieces |
| common with many series of this time period, | | | | while San Francisco produced 1,120,000. With the |
| Philadelphia was the main producer of coinage. The | | | | expectation of a few earlier dates, most |
| San Francisco and New Orleans mint typically | | | | Philadelphia examples can be obtained for a few |
| produced far few examples in almost all years of | | | | dollars in G4 and for less than $10.00 per coin in F |
| production making earlier years more difficult to | | | | to VF condition. |
| obtain. Denver did not begin producing Barber | | | | If you are into collecting Barber type coins, the |
| dimes until 1906. | | | | Barber dime may be just the ticket for the |
| Key/Semi Key Dates | | | | budget conscience collector. |
| While most Barber Dimes are obtainable, one of | | | | Errors |
| the rarest of all coins came from this series. The | | | | The Barber dime series consists two major |
| 1894-S dime had a total mintage of 24 and only | | | | varieties (1893/2-P and 1905-O micro-O). |
| 10 can now be accounted for which presents one | | | | Proofs |
| of the great numismatic mysteries of the time. | | | | There are 24 coins in the proof Barber dime |
| Allegedly, 24 pieces were struck at the order of | | | | series, not counting the branch mint proof 1894-S. |
| San Francisco Mint Superintendent J. Daggett. Of | | | | The mintages range from 425 for the 1914 to |
| the ten known, all were struck from the same | | | | 1,245 for the first-year-of-issue 1892. A grand |
| set of dies. The best known story is that Daggett | | | | total of 17,353 proof coins were produced for the |
| gave three to his daughter Hallie and told her to | | | | whole series. While extremely low, the rarest of |
| keep them until she was as old as he was, when | | | | proofs in MS-65 is the 1908 with 12 pieces |
| they would be worth a lot of money. On her way | | | | certified at PCGS. |
| home from the mint, her newfound riches got the | | | | Vital Statistics Summary |
| best of her and she spent one of the dimes on a | | | | Key Coin Info |
| dish of ice cream. Today that coin is known as | | | | Designed by: Charles E. Barber |
| the ice cream specimen. Although there is no to | | | | Issue dates: 1892-1916 |
| prove it was the one that a young Hallie spent, | | | | Composition: 0.900 part silver, 0.100 part copper |
| one of the known specimens is heavily circulated. | | | | Diameter: 17.9 mm. |
| It has been graded as a G4 while all other coins | | | | Weight: 38. |