Charles E. Barber's quarter served from 1892 through 1916 with one stable design and four mints, making date-and-mint rarity the center of the series.
This guide covers Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Denver issues through the transition to the Standing Liberty quarter.
Core specifications
- Issue period
- 1892–1916
- Catalog mints
- 4
- Reported catalog mintage
- 264,728,102
- Composition
- 90% Silver - 10% Copper
- Diameter
- 24.3 mm
- Weight
- 6.25 g
A uniform coin built for hard circulation
The Mint adopted Barber's matching Liberty-head designs for the dime, quarter, and half dollar in 1892, favoring production practicality and a family resemblance.
Most dates circulated heavily. Three low-mintage branch-mint issues—1896-S, 1901-S, and 1913-S—define the classic complete-set challenge.
Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type
Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.
The main portrait and date
Liberty faces right wearing a cap and laurel wreath, with IN GOD WE TRUST above, stars around, and the date below.
Denomination, subject, and mint mark
A heraldic eagle with shield holds arrows and olive branch beneath E PLURIBUS UNUM; the mint mark sits below the eagle.
Where the cataloged coins were made
Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.
- P — Philadelphia: 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916; 159,385,265. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
- O — New Orleans: 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909; 49,648,800. Confirm the O mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
- D — Denver: 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916; 33,831,200. Confirm the D mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
- S — San Francisco: 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915; 21,862,837. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
Representative issues that explain the series
A type coin or short date run is accessible; the three branch-mint keys demand a separate budget and authentication plan.
- 1892 P — 8,237,245. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1896 S — 188,039. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1901 S — 72,664. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1913 S — 40,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1916 D — 6,540,800. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
Issue catalog
From one type coin to a complete catalog
- One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
- Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
- Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
A note on catalog records
This page uses 74 issue records, 0 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.
Sources
- Quarter: Barber Design — United States Mint
- Barber Quarter category reference — PCGS CoinFacts