Blanchard

This series contains one of the most famous issues in all of American numismatics, the 1894-S. Although it has been generally accepted that 24 coins were minted, some believe a more accurate figure would be 10 to 15. Despite the discrepancy, only nine coins are known to exist, and the finest is a million dollar coin. In the book 100 Greatest U.S. Coins (Garret; Guth, 2005), this coin is ranked number six. The Mint’s chief engraver, Charles Barber, took the easy route when designing the coin. He used a slightly modified version of the Morgan silver dollar for the obverse. The reverse has a wreath that is virtually identical to the previously minted Seated Liberty dime. Although many consider the coin’s design to be rather plain, the design lent itself to the technical requirements needed to produce large numbers of coins with one blow from the minting press. The low relief of the coin also assured that most Barber dimes are found with very pleasing full strikes. This is another of the series that set builders target because an eye-appealing example of each date, with the exception of the 94-S, can be acquired with a modest budget.