1908 Barber Dime

Of all coins produced by the US Mint, few are more iconic and evocative than the Barber Dime. Especially the early editions, these coins are sought after by collectors constantly. Making the process of collecting the Barber Dime bit difficult, however, is the fact that there exist three different varieties of the coin, all with their own values and scarcity.

When it comes to collecting these coins, regardless of its type, a collector will always look at the condition the coin is in. Seeing as only the most beautiful pieces are added to most people’s collections, it goes without saying, collectors are willing to pay a hefty price to get their hands on a Barber Dime in excellent shape.

Grading the 1908 Barber Dime

When a collector is presented with a coin as old as the 1908 Barber Dime, the first thing they look at is the condition of the coin. They will pour over the surfaces of the piece looking for any, even the smallest, imperfections.

The process of judging the condition of a coin is known as grading. Under normal circumstances, a coin is graded by a professional company, but we realize that not everyone has the time and money to send their coins away for grading. Because of that, we included the specifications below to help you gain a better understanding of what qualities coins of certain grades possess.

Uncirculated: A coin in this condition was never exchanged on the open market. These coins will show absolutely no signs of wear and will have retained all of their original texture and imagery. Even the coin’s luster, or original mint shine, will be fully intact as to give the coin a nice shine. As you might expect, very few 1908 Barber Dimess are awarded this grade.

Extremely Fine: Extremely Fine coins are ones that have been circulated, but not to the extent that a lot of damage was caused to the coin. Only light scratching and other small blemishes will be able to be seen, and they will only really be able to be made out under close scrutiny. Some of the mint’s luster will be on these coins, but they will not shine like Uncirculated versions.

Fine: If a coin receives this grade that means it was circulated for a good amount of time. These coins will show some ample signs of wear, most often near the crown. Despite some smoothing, the overall texture of the coin’s faces will have been retained over the years. All in all, these coins are in decent shape.

Good: This is the grade given to coins that were circulated for multiple decades. To be honest, these coins will be beat up and showing a lot of wear and tear. Heavy scratching, bending, and chipping are all common on coins of this grade. Even the surfaces of the coin will have been smoothed thanks to years of wear from the exchanging of hands.

Pricing the 1908 Barber Dime

When it comes to the Barber Dimes, a few different factors influence its price. For one, the type of the coin will be important. Inherently, certain varieties of this year’s coin are more popular than others regardless of condition. After establishing the type of coin, you must then look at the condition or grade. For coins that are in great condition, collectors will pay a pretty penny to acquire them. Refer to the chart below to gain a better understanding of how much you will pay for a Barber Dime given its type and grade.

Barber Dimes

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1908 Barber Dime	$4	$6	$25	$75
1908 Barber Dime (D)	$4	$6	$28	$75
1908 Barber Dime (O)	$6	$45	$95	$150
1908 Barber Dime (S)	$4	$15	$45	$170
Source: Red Book