Is this what I think it is? (1896 S Barber Quarter)

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride......

 

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I just ain't seein' nuttin.

 

100% authentic in my view. Here it is next to a PCGS FR02. Same position, same dark spot from the lower loop of S.

 

My friend, in order to see one must open their eyes. It’s there, just extremely faint and it’s centered below the tail feathers of the eagle. Also above and to the left of the D in DOLLAR.

 

Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees..

 

Now I do see it. Thank you!

 

I thought we’re looking for a mint mark, not a forest. Although I agree with you for the most part generally speaking. I still done see no forest, though. Maybe that’s just me.

 

Up close I don't see anything either, but from a distance, it sure looks like an "S"

 

How many known die pairs (varieties) for the 1896-S exist. Are there multiple obverse dies identified for the coin's production?

 

I believe there are two known die pairs (according to the Barber Coin Collectors Society page here.)

They mention two obverse die markers:

1) Position of 18 in date (which @-jeffB mentioned)
2) Die clash in/on the ear (which I mentioned being able to see in my OP)

 

I still ain't seein' it. It may be there.......it probably is there due to the preponderance of acclaim given by others in this thread, but unless you guys can draw a picture showing me, I still ain't seein' nuttin.

 

@Kentucky provided a good pic in post #9…Spark

 

So, just want to say it's totally okay for some to not see it as an 1896 S. We don't have to all see it the same way - I posted it to get opinions, and yours is just as valid even if it doesn't match what others are saying. Totally cool. The value in everyone's opinions is that hopefully we learn something. And I learned the above info about the two die pairs and the diagnostics. So that has value.

Plus, like I said in my OP, it showed up WAY better in the digital images than it does in hand. When I bought it, I kinda thought there might be a mint mark there, so at melt value I figured it was a no-lose situation. Even it it's eventually just a hunk of silver...that's how I bought it.

If it does turn out to be an 1896 S, I'm just going to hang on to it anyway and enjoy the "trophy." Not everything has to be about how much is something worth. It can still go back to just being fun.

Thanks for your replies in the post (and to everyone else!) Much appreciated.

 

I don't see anything that rules out die pair #1. We don't have much to go on since the position of 1 in the date relative to denticles is obliterated, and there is damage to the designer initial B in the lower bust. However I think there's enough to say that it aligns with die pair #1. Or at least, there's no evidence that it doesn't.

In my earlier image above, the mint mark (if it is one) also is in the correct position for die pair #1. Impossible to say from the images if it has the die clash in the ear. I seriously doubt that it's an added mint mark fake - why go to the trouble of faking a FR02 only for it to end up in a junk bin?

I'd send it to ANACS just for the fun of it. An AG3 just sold on Heritage for $408 so it's worth the gamble.

 

Or send it to Skip @Insider at ICG for a CT special

 

I already floated that idea. When you have a big personality online, sometimes you rub people the wrong way.

 

My limited research indicates there two different Obverse Dies and two different Reverse Dies which produce two different die pairings (BLUE-BLUE and (GREEN-GREEN). The die pairings are identified based on the colors used for the date and mint mark on the Cad maps below. But I have only analyzed 7 coins.

 

Your overlays are useful. I think the obverse overlay might be better if you showed the denticles. For me it's easier to see the difference in the positions of the 1 side by side relative to the denticles. The two dies are very close.

The BCCS reference posted earlier:
http://barbercoins.org/BQ1896S.shtml
Original David Lawrence reference:
https://archive.org/details/compguidebarb1994feig/page/n51/mode/1up

Here the question is whether there is a 1896-P with a similar date position and whether that's really an S on the reverse. Philly coined 3.8 million so I'd guess at least 20 obverse dies were used. It might be difficult to prove that this is not a Philly coin by the date position alone.

 

For me denticles are to hard and tedious to map. Although the OP's coin was void of any sharp design detail which provide any reliable spots to act as a monument points for triangulation - I attempted overlays on both the obverse and reverse anyway. The results are posted below.

The die pairings are now Blue-Blue and Red-Red. The color green didn't provide enough contrast to see it when overlaid on the OP's coin. The first image illustrates the monument points used for the overlay. The images following that are the results.

 

Very interesting as always.
Here's the PCGS FR02 I used above. That one has the die clash in the ear which probably made it easier. https://coins.ha.com/itm/barber-qua...131534-27436.s?ic4=ListView-Thumbnail-071515#

This NGC FR02 I have no idea how they attributed it. The obverse seems to be die pair 2 but the reverse... I don't even see an imaginary S.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/barber-qua...131722-29092.s?ic4=ListView-Thumbnail-071515#
It would cost $16 + shipping to have ANACS attribute it but you'd have to meet the 5 coin minimum. They've graded over 900 of these so they would know.