1916 Barber Quarter

1916 marked the final year of production for Barber quarters. In all, the series was produced for a total of 25 years, and tens of millions of Barber quarters were struck, with some remaining in circulation into the 1960s. While the Barber quarter is largely regarded as an obsolete coin today, it is also considered as the earliest of the “common” quarter types. In fact, many of the most well-worn Barber quarters are included in “junk” silver portfolios.

Here’s a look at the mintages and values of 1916 Barber quarters:

• 1916 – 1,788,000; $13

• 1916-D – 6,540,800; $13

*Values are for coins in a grade of Good-4.

1916 was the only year of the Barber quarter series that no proof coins were made; it was also one of the few years during which fewer quarters were made at the Philadelphia mint than the branch mint.

The Barber quarter, which had been designed by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber in 1891 and first released in 1892, never received much more than a lukewarm welcome from most numismatists of the late 19th century. However, the coin has maintained an endearing presence in the hobby, and there are thousands of enthusiastic Barber coinage collectors today.

The Barber quarter would be replaced later in 1916 by the Standing Liberty quarter, designed by Hermon A. MacNeil. The Standing Liberty quarter, which ceased production in 1930, was the last design before the now-familiar Washington quarter came into existence in 1932.