1893 Barber Dime

The story of the 1893

Production at Philadelphia fell off a cliff in 1893. Only 3,340,000 were made, against 12 million the year before. That drop is why the 1893 is the one people look for. The next year it made 1.3 million (1894).

1893-O came to 1.8 million and 1893-S came to 2.5 million, so neither mint's 1893 coin is much scarcer than the other.

Philadelphia struck the Barber Dime in 25 issues between 1892 and 1916. By mintage this one lands in the scarcer half, while the key for that mint is the 1895 (690,000). Within the 1890s it's 19th smallest of 24, between the 1899-O (2.6 million) and the 1892-O (3.8 million).

More on the 1893

Philadelphia struck 3,340,000 dimes in 1893, far fewer than the 12,120,000 of 1892. That drop alone makes the date a little less common, but the reason to inspect an 1893 closely is the 1893/2 overdate, struck from a die on which the final 3 was punched over a 2.

On the overdate, the flat base of the 2 shows as a horizontal line inside the lower loop of the 3. The traces are subtle. The variety is mainly collected by specialists, but a confirmed example carries a collector premium. Use at least ten times magnification and good light. Don't confuse die cracks or worn detail around the 3 with an underlying digit. Proofs, 792 of them, were also struck in 1893 and are listed separately. An ordinary 1893 Philadelphia dime trades at a small premium in worn condition. The New Orleans and San Francisco dimes of 1893 do not have this overdate. Look at the 3 before anything else.

A new design at three mints (1892 to 1893)

Charles E. Barber's Liberty head replaced the Seated Liberty dime in 1892, after an open design competition in 1891 failed to produce anything the Mint would accept. The Chief Engraver's portrait went on the quarter and half dollar the same year. Philadelphia, New Orleans and San Francisco all struck dimes from the start, with the mint mark placed below the bow of the wreath on the reverse.

Philadelphia's 12,120,000 dimes of 1892 make it the most common date of the early years and it is easy to find in worn grades. New Orleans added 3,841,700. San Francisco struck only 990,710 that year, so the 1892-S is scarce in all grades and a good first target for anyone building a set. In 1893 output fell everywhere: Philadelphia made 3,340,000, New Orleans 1,760,000 and San Francisco 2,491,401. Across the two years the three mints struck 24,543,811 Barber dimes.

Look closely at the date on a Philadelphia 1893. Some were struck from a die on which the final 3 was punched over a 2. On this 1893/2 overdate the base of the 2 shows as a line inside the lower loop of the 3. The variety is subtle and mainly interests variety specialists, but it carries a collector premium when confirmed. For grading any coin of these years, check LIBERTY on the headband: if all seven letters are clear, the coin grades Fine or better.

Elsewhere in US coinage in 1893

The Carson City Mint struck its last coins in 1893. A financial panic that year led to the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act.