There are a total of thirteen Barber Dime issues with a circulation mintage of less the one million pieces. Of this group, the 1895-O Barber Dime (Buy on eBay) has the lowest mintage at 440,000 pieces and is considered the classic key date coin of the series.
The survival rate for the coin is even lower than the mintage suggests. At the time of issue, the small mintage circulated heavily in the south and very few pieces were saved. Later mass melts may have also eliminated some examples, since this issue was not widely recognized for its rarity outside of collectors of the series. It is estimated that fewer than 100 pieces have survived in uncirculated condition.
The single finest known example is graded PCGS MS-67. This piece realized a price of $58,755.88 when offered at auction in 2017.
Coin Specifications
- Designer: Charles E. Barber
- Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
- Weight: 2.5 grams
- Diameter: 17.9 mm
- Edge: Reeded
