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One main fact, about the Philadelphia Mint, all collectors know is that the Philadelphia Mint has participated in every coin series since it was established, leaving no mint-mark as their mark. The Philadelphia Mint is the main branch of the US Mint and is the oldest mint in the US, being established in 1792. After the ratification of the Constitution, the Founding Fathers needed to establish a national identity and a means of commerce. At the time, Philadelphia was the capital of the US so it only made sense for the first mint to be built there. The Mint Act was also passed, during this time, to assign coins denominations based on their legal tender or metal fineness. This act also constituted that any coin in the US should feature "an impression emblematic of liberty."
Barber used the Head of Liberty to grace the obverse of the Barber coin series. Liberty's look is inspired by a Grecian Goddess and she wears an Acanthus leaf cap as a crown. "United States of America," and the coin's mint date are also simply stamped on the obverse of the Barber Half Dollar. The reverse contains the nation's official seal, which is of a heraldic eagle holding a shield. Each of the eagle's talons are grasping a symbolic gesture: olive branches and arrows. This design is still used on modern day coinage and represents the strength of the nation, while understanding the price that needs to be paid for freedom. The 1912 Barber Half Dollar is in very fine condition, exhibiting wear on mainly the edge of the coin and the image details are still fully intact. All individual coins are packaged in coin sleeves to ensure protection while in transit.