U.S. COIN REFERENCE · Barber quarter
Barber quarters: three San Francisco keys and the actual mintmark
A complete reverse is essential when the price depends on a small S.
By SalarsNet · Reviewed October 5, 2026
Liberty and a heraldic eagle
The Barber quarter spans 1892–1916, with a right-facing Liberty portrait and eagle reverse. QUARTER DOLLAR separates it from the half dollar, whose obverse is closely related. Read the value and mintmark together instead of assigning denomination from a cropped portrait.
Type references: PCGS Barber Quarter ↗
Headband detail and original surfaces
Record headband letters, hair, cheek, eagle breast, wings, and rims. Letter completeness is useful but does not settle the whole grade. Scratches, smoothing, and cleaning can leave sharp remaining design with impaired surfaces. Preserve those differences when selecting examples for comparison.
Type references: PCGS Barber Quarter ↗
The S needs to be confirmed
The 1896-S, 1901-S, and 1913-S are recognized keys. Their premium makes a doubtful date or mark a reason for authentication work. Proofs were issued through 1915 and belong to their own market. Use sales matching the confirmed issue and actual condition, rather than choosing the rarest plausible interpretation of a blurred mark.
Type references: PCGS Barber Quarter ↗
Selected reviewed issue records
These catalog standards describe the named issue, not a measured specimen. The selected records below do not cover every date, mint, strike, or die variety. Reported production is labeled separately from established mintage. Unknown standards and mintage remain visible; survival estimates and certified populations are separate research questions.
No issue-level specification or mintage records are published for this category yet. Verify the exact date, mint, strike, metal, and subtype in its reference before using a numerical standard.
References and review
Reference reviewed October 5, 2026. Historical facts and catalog standards need to match the exact issue; price comparisons should be researched at the time of valuation.