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- Product ID: 20317
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The 1908-S Barber Half Dollar is in very good condition, exhibiting heavy wear on both sides of the coin but its details are still readable. The 1908-S was minted in San Francisco, and carries the infamous "S" mint-mark. The San Francisco Mint is known for its highly efficient quality control and strong strikes on its coins, established during the famous gold rushes in California. The Barber design was named after the US Mint's Chief Engraver, William Barber. The coins were in circulation from 1892-1916, but the half dollar wasn't minted the last couple of years before the series ended. William Barber would also work over George T. Morgan, the Morgan's designer, as the Barber coinage was minted. The Seated Liberty design had run its course and the Mint's Director, Edward Leech, wanted to officially change the design. 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, specifically William Barber. Made from 90% silver, the Barber series is in high demand among collectors and intrigued investors.
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.