How common is it to find proof like barber coins? I own a few Proof like Morgan dollars and have some that I thought should have been graded DMPL. I have a few proof type coins as well, 3 IHC's 1895, 1898 and 1905, 1 v-nickel (1910) and about 6 proof Mercs ranging from 1938 thru 1942. I stopped by a coin store today and while looking at some coins a Barber dime caught my eye. I appears to have a wire rim and mirror fields. When turned just right in the light it looks just like the proof Indians and V Nickel that I have. On my Mercs no matter how you turn them none really give you the cameo look in the light like the others do and certainly not like this new Barber. I know that you may need some pictures but I am traveling and wont be close to the camera until Friday. Even then I have had trouble getting my camera to show the mirrored fields on the other proofs.
Others will comment on how common they are but I know they are out there. I think one I have is rather proof like. Not the same as a PL Morgan but PL in its own right. Edit to add: Here are images of mine there are 2 different looks one to show the normal look, one angled to show the PL.
nice pieces, both of you. As far as how common? Not at all. I collect them, and, if reasonable, I grab every one that I see. That said, I haven't had the chance to get many of them. The dimes are relatively scarce, the quarters most common and then the $1/2 are also scarce. Most common (to my experience) are San Francisco 19th century pieces. I will post a list when I have a chance to check.
If you find a Barber coin with reflective fields & a high wire rim, then you may have found a proof coin. I bought a quarter with these characteristics about 20-years ago. I showed it to Harold Cudahy & he thought it was a mishandled proof coin. It was a Philadelphia coin so he may have been spot-on. I still have it. If I can get my hands on it, then I'll post a photo.
