Rank Barber Coinage

Alan & Erin Williams wrote in message ...
Eric Babula wrote:

Alan & Erin Williams wrote in
:

There seems to be a concensus forming. ;-) I've got the Barbers in
my Type set, and I think that this month I will purchase Dansco
albums for Liberty Nickels and Franklin Half Dollars. Now that
Larry Calder (http://www.texascoinstuff.com) is no longer with us,
I will have to choose a new supplier. ;-( Eventually I will own an
album for Barber Dimes, but I will pass on the date/mm acquisition
of Barber Quarters and Halfs. In fact, I doubt that I ever buy
another Barber Quarter, being content with the 1913(P) I got from
Bigg Fredd. It's a better date, and has enough problem-free detail
for me!

I suppose that I will upgrade my (singular) Barber Half, but it is
so far down my list of priorities...that may become a task for my
numismatic heir, whoever that turns out to be.

Alan
'is always planning'


I just bid on a couple Barber Halfs, Quarters and a Dime, on ebaY. Of
course, I am low-balling it, so I won't have to pay a lot for those
coins. Who knows? Maybe I'll get "lucky". Since you brought this up,
I figured I should get my one coin for each denomination, and get it
over with. Hopefully, I can get one of each, in VF or better condition,
just to have one. Then, I don't have to worry about the Barber series
anymore, unless, of some freak of nature, I run out of US coins to
collect! ;-)

It's a trusim that Barbers are easily obtained in G-8 or less, not
unheard of in MS (but pricey!), but that middle range VF-20 to AU-58 is
problematic. The last time I actually followed ebaY auctions for Barber
Half Dollars in EF, there was spirited bidding on almost every piece,
and hammer prices were far beyond my expectations. That's been a year
ago, I don't know if things have changed.

Alan
'I doubt it'


I think that is part of the appeal of Barber coins to serious collectors,
especially those looking in the VF and high grades. Its a real challenge
to find them and if you do be prepared for some stiff competition.
My most expensive coin is an 1895-O Barber dime in VF. I'm glad I bought it
20 years ago, the price has gone way up since then.

(James McCown) wrote in message . com...
Barber was a no-talent designer who made some of the most ugly coins
imaginable and also altered the designs of others in order to uglify
them.

If Morgan had been allowed to design the nickel, dime, quarter, and
dollar, they would have been much more attractive.


Are you sure? The Morgan dollar wins no beauty contest IMO. Not as homely
as Rosie O'Donnell but still not much to look at.

Alan & Erin Williams wrote:

Try as I might, I have not be able to acquire an appreciation for the
Barber designs of circulating coins.

Join the club.

Putting dead presidents on the coins was a giant mistake. It went
against George Washington's wish so the quarter is a particular
travesty.

But I grew up near the Candian border so I'm used to seeing coins
with Queen Elizabeth on them and the occasional one with the previous
king. The first time I saw a Morgan my reaction was wonder that the
US had put the young queen of England on our coins. And sure enough,
just like Canadian coins, she managed to make it to all of them.
Sheesh. It's a well crafted image, but I've seen well crafted images
of car wrecks so I know there's more to an image than the craft that
went into it.

I prefer the series afterwards, like so many collectors. Standing,
Walking, Seated Liberty, Indian head nickles. Peace dollars. The
designs were fabulous. And the reverses just as good.

Next I like the series before the all-alike Morgans. Flowing faces
and so on.

But I love the design of the Chain Cent most.

(Doug Freyburger) wrote in message . com...
Alan & Erin Williams wrote:

Try as I might, I have not be able to acquire an appreciation for the
Barber designs of circulating coins.

Join the club.

Putting dead presidents on the coins was a giant mistake. It went
against George Washington's wish so the quarter is a particular
travesty.

If Andrew Jackson knew that his portrait was on the twenty dollar
federal reserve note, he would probably turn over in his grave.
Jackson vetoed the rechartering of the Second Bank of the United
States (which was the equivalent of today's federal reserve) and was
against the idea of having a central bank.

(John Stone) wrote in message om...
(James McCown) wrote in message . com...
Barber was a no-talent designer who made some of the most ugly coins
imaginable and also altered the designs of others in order to uglify
them.

If Morgan had been allowed to design the nickel, dime, quarter, and
dollar, they would have been much more attractive.


Are you sure? The Morgan dollar wins no beauty contest IMO. Not as homely
as Rosie O'Donnell but still not much to look at.

I like the Morgan dollar. It is probably more popular among collectors
than all four Barber coins combined.

To see a blatant difference in the two engravers' talent, look at the
two different obverses for the $4 stellas. The Barber design looks
like the V-nickel let her hair down. Ugly as hell.

James McCown wrote:

(Doug Freyburger) wrote in message . com...
Alan & Erin Williams wrote:

Try as I might, I have not be able to acquire an appreciation for the
Barber designs of circulating coins.

Join the club.

Putting dead presidents on the coins was a giant mistake. It went
against George Washington's wish so the quarter is a particular
travesty.

If Andrew Jackson knew that his portrait was on the twenty dollar
federal reserve note, he would probably turn over in his grave.
Jackson vetoed the rechartering of the Second Bank of the United
States (which was the equivalent of today's federal reserve) and was
against the idea of having a central bank.

I am so very well pleased that someone else realizes the
inappropriateness of the selection of Ol' Hickory.

;-)

Alan
'cider and cheese can steal an election'

In article ,
says...
I like Barber coins. I am not as much of a 'Ooooh, that's purty!'
collector as most so Barber coins fit me ok.

I do like the dimes best of all - maybe because I am most of the way
through them from 1900-on. I also have some halves and a smattering
of quarters and, only missing the 12-S for the 1900-on nickels.

I like the dimes too. The ugliness of the basic design (what possessed
Barber to make the nose so big?) is easier to overlook on a small coin,
and I, like others, am not crazy about the eagle reverse of the larger
designs. I bought my first Barber dime in Fine, and just love the look
of this coin in circulated grades. I have several now, but since falling
into classic commems have not given the dimes much of my attention!

--
Chrysta Wilson

My Collection:
http://www.chrystawilson.com

Chrysta Wilson wrote:

In article ,
says...
I like Barber coins. I am not as much of a 'Ooooh, that's purty!'
collector as most so Barber coins fit me ok.

I do like the dimes best of all - maybe because I am most of the way
through them from 1900-on. I also have some halves and a smattering
of quarters and, only missing the 12-S for the 1900-on nickels.

I like the dimes too. The ugliness of the basic design (what possessed
Barber to make the nose so big?) is easier to overlook on a small coin,
and I, like others, am not crazy about the eagle reverse of the larger
designs. I bought my first Barber dime in Fine, and just love the look
of this coin in circulated grades. I have several now, but since falling
into classic commems have not given the dimes much of my attention!

The plan is working. ;-

Divert their attention and get them chasing Grant Half dollars, then
swoop in begind them and get all the good nickels and dimes.

Alan
'Bwa MA HA HA'

"Chrysta Wilson" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
I like Barber coins. I am not as much of a 'Ooooh, that's purty!'
collector as most so Barber coins fit me ok.

I do like the dimes best of all - maybe because I am most of the way
through them from 1900-on. I also have some halves and a smattering
of quarters and, only missing the 12-S for the 1900-on nickels.

I like the dimes too. The ugliness of the basic design (what possessed
Barber to make the nose so big?) is easier to overlook on a small coin,
and I, like others, am not crazy about the eagle reverse of the larger
designs. I bought my first Barber dime in Fine, and just love the look
of this coin in circulated grades. I have several now, but since falling
into classic commems have not given the dimes much of my attention!

I like the Liberty nickel, also designed by Barber. IMHO, it's the
simplicity of the design that makes it so attractive. The same is true for
the Barber dime. I like that much better than the Seated Liberty dime. The
SL design is more apropriate for the larger coins like the half and dollar.

In article . net,
says...

"Chrysta Wilson" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
I like Barber coins. I am not as much of a 'Ooooh, that's purty!'
collector as most so Barber coins fit me ok.

I do like the dimes best of all - maybe because I am most of the way
through them from 1900-on. I also have some halves and a smattering
of quarters and, only missing the 12-S for the 1900-on nickels.

I like the dimes too. The ugliness of the basic design (what possessed
Barber to make the nose so big?) is easier to overlook on a small coin,
and I, like others, am not crazy about the eagle reverse of the larger
designs. I bought my first Barber dime in Fine, and just love the look
of this coin in circulated grades. I have several now, but since falling
into classic commems have not given the dimes much of my attention!

I like the Liberty nickel, also designed by Barber. IMHO, it's the
simplicity of the design that makes it so attractive. The same is true for
the Barber dime. I like that much better than the Seated Liberty dime. The
SL design is more apropriate for the larger coins like the half and dollar.

I agree with this; and as a corollary, I don't feel that the Barber
design is appropriate for larger coins. I also like the nickel design,
although if pressed to say why, I don't know that I can answer. I
usually am a fan of smaller coins like cents, dimes, and nickels.
--
Chrysta Wilson

My Collection:
http://www.chrystawilson.com