The 1896-S Barber Quarter (Buy on eBay) is the first of a trio San Francisco Mint coins, which comprise the most difficult issues of the series. This coin had a mintage of 188,039 pieces.
Around the time of release, few people along the west coast bothered to save the issue despite the low mintage. As a result, most examples have survived in lower circulated grades, with high-grade uncirculated pieces proving to be extremely rare. Gem examples of this issue are less commonly available than the much lower mintage 1913-S, which was the object of some hoarding.
Fewer than 20 examples of the 1896-S Barber Quarters have been graded MS65 by the major grading services. A handful of pieces have been graded MS66. The finest known is a single piece graded NGC MS-67, which sold for $76,375 at auction in 2014.
Coin Specifications
| Date | 1896 |
| Mint Mark | S |
| Mint Location | San Francisco |
| Composition | 90% Silver, 10% Copper |
| Weight | 6.25 grams |
| Diameter | 24.3 mm |
| Designer | Charles E. Barber |
Coin Mintages
| Mintage | 188,039 |
