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    1898 Barber Quarter

    The 1898 Barber Quarter is among the more common dates in this series. It is a favorite among collectors who want to buy a high-end example of a Barber quarter without having to shell out thousands for a scarce-date specimen. The coin itself is over 100 years old and there has never been a better time than now to get your hands on one.

    The 1898-O Barber Quarter produced 13% of the coinage from the New Orleans mint. Only 8% of the Barber Quarters minted in 1898 were minted in San Francisco. The Philadelphia mint produced nearly 80% of all the quarters minted in 1898. The ‘O’ & ‘S’ mint mark can be found on the reverse of the quarter, under the Eagle. There is no mint mark on Philadelphia minted coins.

    Of course, as is true of most coins as old as the Barber Quarter, the condition of the coin in question means everything to collectors. This is why you will see collectors paying top-dollar for those Quarters in excellent condition. In addition, multiple different types of Barber Quarter were produced every year, so that also plays a role in determining how much you will pay for one of these coins.

    Grading the 1898 Barber Quarter

    For coins like the 1898 Barber Quarter, which were produced over a century ago, the state of the condition means everything to a prospective collector. No one wants to add damaged, tarnished coins to their collection, so it makes sense that most every collector will closely examine the condition of a Barber Quarter before executing a purchase.

    Normally, coins are sent away for grading in order to have their condition accurately judged, but not everyone has the available funds to send coins away for official grading, so we have provided specifications below to give you a better idea of what coins of a specific grade might look like.

    Uncirculated: Coins that are graded to be Uncirculated are those that never spent any time exchanging hands or paying for goods. Instead, these coins were put into safekeeping almost immediately after they were minted. As a result of their being kept in a safe place, these coins have not suffered any of the damage typically associated with Barber Quarters of this age.

    Extremely Fine: In Extremely Fine condition, the Barber Quarter in question will have only spent a minimal amount of time in circulation. Though these coins definitely show some signs of wear, the wear is generally light and only visible under close inspection. All in all, Extremely Fine 1898 Barber Quarters are in great condition.

    Fine: Coins that receive this grade are those that spent a decent bit of time being circulated. Due to their being exchanged over a moderate period of time, these coins have suffered a bit of wear. The raised images are where you will often find the most damage.

    Good: This is the grade given to coins that were circulated for exorbitant periods of time. After decades upon decades of exchanging hands, these coins have a lot of damage to show for it. Complete with chipping, scratching, and many other imperfections, these pieces really show their age.

    Pricing the 1898 Barber Quarter

    When it comes to giving coins like the 1898 Barber Quarter a price, there are but two things that you must take into consideration. First, you have to consider what type of coin it is. Because multiple types of Barber Quarters were minted most years, this is the first factor affecting price. Secondly, the condition of the coin is everything. For collectors, a coin that is in excellent condition is one that they are willing to pay a high price for, sometimes drastically higher. The chart below will give you a good idea of what the typical asking prices are for graded 1898 Barber Quarters.

    Barber Quarters

    DATE GOOD FINE EXTREMELY FINE UNCIRCULATED
    1898 Barber Quarter $9 $26 $70 $125
    1898 Barber Quarter (O) $15 $70 $300 $390
    1898 Barber Quarter (S) $11 $40 $100 $200
    Source: Red Book

    All Market Updates are provided as a third party analysis and do not necessarily reflect the explicit views of JM Bullion Inc. and should not be construed as financial advice.