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The Barber Half Dollar replaced the Seated Liberty coinage, by preference of the Mint Director, Edward Leech. After a failed attempt to offer a friendly competition among local artists, Leech resorted to Chief Engraver, William Barber, to come up with the design. Barber's design extended to the dime, quarter, and half dollar; being one of the only coin designs to serve on all currency. Liberty is wearing a Grecian leaf cap, on the obverse, as the reverse features the nation's seal. The Barber Dime is the only Barber coin to not showcase the heraldic eagle, holding the shield, on its reverse. The dime and quarter feature just the coin's monetary denomination.
During the time the Barber Half Dollar was in circulation, there were 4 different mints producing the highly collectible coins. Among these mints was the New Orleans Mint, also known as the Old Mint. The Old Mint mainly depended on the success of the Morgan's production so much that when the Morgan's production stopped, the Old Mint was decommissioned shortly after. The New Orleans Mint's building as been used as a fallout shelter, an assay office, and a storage facility for the US Coast Guard. It is now considered a national landmark, representing the history of coins. The Old Mint marked all of its coins with an "O" mint-mark and was considered a coin leader in its hay day. The 1903-O Barber Half Dollar contains an average mintage and is one of the last dates for the New Orleans to mint.