1912 Barber Quarter

Throughout history the US Mint has produced countless coins. Still tasked with producing the coinage of the United States as well as that of plenty of other countries around the world, the US Mint is just as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. Of all the coins produced by the US Mint through its history, few are more popular than the Barber Quarter.

Philadelphia Barber quarters are the most common for the year 1912, with the San Francisco mint having made just a bit more than 700,000 pieces. No Denver-mint quarters were issued in 1912.

The Barber Quarter was produced during the late 19th and 20th century, and played a big role in the lives of Americans everywhere. These coins were not only popular then, they have remained popular amongst collectors who are constantly looking to get their hands on pieces of American coinage history.

Grading the 1912 Barber Quarter

Numismatists are the type of people who nit-pick, especially when it comes to coins. Because the condition of coins is everything, you will find that collectors pick apart every aspect of a coin, looking for even the smallest imperfections. The logic behind this level of scrutiny is that only well-preserved pieces are preferred to be added to collections.

Normally, people will send their coins away to professional organizations for grading, but not everyone has the capability of doing this. Understanding this, we have provided below a list of different coin grades and the characteristics associated with them.

Uncirculated: An Uncirculated Barber Quarter is one that spent no time in circulation and was instead kept in a safe place immediately after being produced. These coins will appear as though they were just minted, with no signs of wear and all of their images and inscriptions entirely intact. As you probably could have guessed, Uncirculated Barber Quarters are the most sought after because of their sheer beauty.

Extremely Fine: A Barber Quarter receiving of an Extremely Fine grade is one that spent only a limited amount of time exchanging hands. These coins will, at first glance, appear to be Uncirculated, but upon closer inspection you will be able to make out small imperfections on the faces, including extremely light scratching. Also a prize for collectors, these coins are in high demand.

Fine: This grade is given to coins that spent some time in circulation, but did not incur overly heavy damage as a result. While you will be able to see scratching without too much trouble, the imagery and inscriptions on the face of the coin will have been preserved. These coins are still quite desirable because they are, in truth, well-preserved for how old they are.

Good: A coin that is graded to be Good is one that spent an exorbitant amount of time in circulation. As a result, you will see a lot of heavy scratching as well as plenty of other noticeable signs of wear and tear. Though not the most sought after, Barber Quarters graded to be Good are most common and are some of the cheapest you will find.

Pricing the 1912 Barber Quarter

In order to give the 1912 Barber Quarter, or any Barber Quarter for that matter, an accurate price valuation, you are to consider two factors. First, you must consider the type of Quarter it is. Because up to three different types of Barber Quarter were produced annually, the rarity associated with your coin’s specific type is what plays into the price first. Secondly, the condition of the coin will play into the price you pay. As you could probably guess, coins that are in the best condition are the ones that will sell for the highest prices. Below is a chart that will give you a better idea of what you might be asked to pay for a 1912 Barber Quarter given its type and condition.

Barber Quarters

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1912 Barber Quarter	$9	$26	$70	$120
1912 Barber Quarter (S)	$20	$65	$125	$220
Source: Red Book