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- Product ID: 11004
Mint-marked with the "D" mark, the 1906-D Barber Half Dollar was the first Barber Half minted at the Denver Mint. Only established in 1906, the Denver Mint mainly focused on commemorative coins but also participated in the Barber Half Dollar production. Compared to the other US Mint branches, the Denver Mint was young when it started producing silver dollars. In 1921, the Denver joined forces with its sister branches to help produce the Morgan silver dollar, that was soon changed to the Peace silver dollar. Since the Denver Mint was established much later than the other mints, its participation in major coin collections was limited causing collectors to put any silver coin with a "D" mint-mark at the top of their collecting list. With a pretty average mintage, the 1906-D is in good condition. Good condition is the lowest grade for the Barber Half Dollars and usually exhibits extreme wear, as well lack of detailing on the main images, such as the leaves on Liberty's headpiece or the eagle's individual feathering.
The Seated Liberty design had run a good run and was ready to be retired. The Mint's Director, Edward Leech, wanted to officially change the design and imagined a competition among local artists would result in a great outcome. Holding a competition, Leech wanted to encourage participation by giving the winner a cash prize. All of the local artists invited declined and Leech resorted to his mint for direction. William Barber was ultimately assigned the task to create a new design for the US currency, that would replace the Seated Liberty. The new design was received with mixed emotions and would be replaced in 1916. The Barber design was named after the US Mint's Chief Engraver, William Barber.