The Barber quarter of 1892-1916, was the last U.S. quarter of the 1800's, and the first quarter of the 1900's. It was struck during the late Victorian/Gilded Age period, when gentlemen wore derby hats and sported thick, well-groomed moustaches, while ladies wore fashionably large hats, long dresses and tight corsets that accentuated an unnatural hourglass figure.
The debut of the Barber quarter (as well as the Barber dime and half dollar) was overshadowed by two other special U.S. silver coins in 1892 and 1893: the Columbus Columbian Exposition half dollar of 1892-93, and the Isabella Columbian Exposition quarter of 1893.
The Barber quarter replaced the long-running Seated Liberty quarter. The Liberty bust on the Barber quarter was seen as many as heralding back to the artistry of ancient Greek or Roman coinage, though in actuality, the Barber coin Liberty bust was patterned after the head used on an 1870's silver coin of France. The new Barber coins were well-liked, though there was little gushing enthusiasm for the new design. The Barber quarter (as well as the half dollar) are notable for featuring two different types of stars: the stars on the obverse are six-pointed, while the stars on the reverse, above the eagle, are five-pointed.
- Designer: Charles E. Barber
- Obverse Design: Liberty Bust
- Reverse Design:
- Edge: Reeded
- Weight: ±6.3 grams
- Diameter: ±24.3 millimeters
- Composition: Silver (±90%), Copper (±10%)
- Dates Minted: 1892-1916
* Actual Coin Received may be Different than Item Pictured
