1899 Barber Quarter

The 1899 Barber Quarters are very common pieces that can be found in many types of coin collections and, of course, in date-and-mintmark sets of Barber quarters. The 1899 offers affordable options for coin collectors who want high-grade examples. Fortunately, there are plenty to be found, thanks to a high original mintage and the fact that plenty were saved by coin collectors over the decades.

Only 3% of all the 1899-S Barber Quarters were minted in San Francisco. Around 10% of the 1899-O Barber Quarters were minted in New Orleans. The Philadelphia mint produced more than 80% of 1899 Barber Quarters and this coin has no mint mark.

Of course, as far as collectors are concerned, the only pieces worth taking are those that have been well-preserved through the years. The Barber Quarter is just one of many coins now valued by collectors, but is easily one of the more popular products of the US Mint. Produced during the late 19th century, these coins played a pivotal role in the lives of everyday Americans.

Grading the 1899 Barber Quarter

As was touched on before, collectors are constantly striving to get their hands on the most well-preserved Barber Quarters. Knowing this, it should not come as too much of a surprise that collectors will closely analyze the faces of these coins in search of any and all imperfections. Even the smallest blemishes are noted by collectors.

Normally, people have their coins sent away for grading. This process involves a coin expert looking at the coin in question and assigning it a grade. This process is often expensive and time-consuming, so we have provided below a few specifications that apply to specific coin grades as to give you a better idea of what graded coins might look like.

Uncirculated: An Uncirculated coin is one that never spent any time exchanging hands. Thanks to this coin’s being kept in a safe place throughout its life, there exists no damage on the surfaces. All of the coin’s texture is intact, and the images and inscriptions can be made out quite easily. These pieces are the most desirable, but also some of the most expensive.

Extremely Fine: For a coin to receive this grade, it will have had to survive its short time in circulation without having incurred much damage at all. Only under close inspection can you see the generally light scratching and wear that is present on this type of graded Barber Quarter. These coins are also a prize for collectors as they are in mostly pristine condition.

Fine: A coin that is given a grade of Fine is one that spent a moderate amount of time being circulated across the United States. During its time in circulation, this coin will have been damaged a good bit. Complete with visible scratching and surface wear, these coins will show their age to some extent, but are not so beat up that you cannot recognize the images and inscriptions.

Good: This is the grade given to coins that are in rough shape. These were some of the most heavily circulated coins around, and will definitely show a good bit of damage. The type of damage you will find on coins graded to be in this condition can range from a lot of scratching, to deep chips, and on occasion bending.

Pricing the 1899 Barber Quarter

For coins that are as aged as the 1899 Barber Quarter, determining an accurate valuation requires close attention paid to two factors. For one, the type of coin matters. Because a few different types of Barber Quarters were minted with every release, the scarcity of the particular type of coin is the first thing that plays into price. Secondly, the price of the coin will depend on condition. As you might expect, coins that are in top-drawer condition are the ones that will sell for the highest prices. The chart below is aimed at giving you a good idea of what the price might be for a graded 1899 Barber Quarter if you are given its type.

Barber Quarters

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1899 Barber Quarter	$9	$26	$75	$125
1899 Barber Quarter (O)	$11	$35	$120	$260
1899 Barber Quarter (S)	$27	$95	$140	$275
Source: Red Book