just won a barber dime (which one should i have him send)

umm the 1897 has a lot more detail if you enlarge the picture

 

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Mintage isn't everything, and in certain instances, can have little to do with survivability. Just something for your consideration.

We're talking a few dollar coin here... just choose the one you like.

 

agreed!

nah, go for the 1903 O.

 

03-O, I'm partial to New Orleans Barbers.

 

Lol ur all confusing me i want to know if one has more value then what i paid or if one has less value then i paid

 

They are both so low grade that they are worth the same amount, which is only a few dollars. I would advise you to buy the 1903-O since it has a more natural look to the surfaces than the 1897.

 

While it's good to ask questions and look for opinions, this should be something you should be able to answer on your own with minimal research. I am not trying to be harsh with you, but I firmly believe we learn more by making our own decisions instead of relying on others if you truly want to learn. Basically, do you wish to be a plain "collector" or a "numismatist"? IMO, there is a difference.

That said, neither coin was a steal and you probably could have bought either at a decent B&M for less, but all things considered, the O is probably the "better" of the two. Either way, and in the long run it's really not going to matter. You're not going to pull down some excellent return since both are, and probably always will be plentiful. Therefore, just pick the one that has more appeal to you as a collector.

 

Truth is, I bought this dime at a B&M that hadn't been marked to reflect rising silver prices. I got it for 13 cents less than melt. The half was bought at about melt. This is all I would pay for lower grade coins like these but others are willing to pay closer to book value.

 

I wouldn't rack my brain over this since guides are just that, only a guide and the prices are not set in stone. Pick what you like but I would pick the 1903-O since that mint is no longer. What really drives value is how much someone wants something. I can tell you though I do not buy Barbers on Ebay, I only buy them at B&M shops or I would buy them at a show. People tend to overbid on these on Ebay I believe. I paid $5 for the coin in my avatar. I did just check the Redbook on these coins. The 1897 is worth $3.25 and the 1903-O is worth $4.50. Don't ask me why Numismedia is saying the value is that high. I would go with the 1903-O though so at least you are close to Redbook price. I use coinstudy.com when I bid because those prices tend to be low and I always downgrade coins with some issues. For instance, I have a cleaned VF-25 seated quarter that I bid $23 for, the Redbook G price. A lot of older coins have been cleaned at one time but people still want them.

 

Well im goun with the 03 i have no o mint coins i just needed for the type anyways i have a washington silver a standing and a liberty and sone proof quarters some mer ury dimes some rosevelt proofs and needed a liberty so you can see what im trying to do i dont have a coin shop near me i have a silver store that has mostly asw morgans and junk silver but no barbers ect so i had to use ebay

 

Have you asked if they had any Barbers in the junk silver? Some shops generally don't care so much about coins but have some good finds in the junk silver. Ask them if you can pick what coins you get in the junk silver. I bought my avatar out of the junk silver. Most of the coins the shop I went to has were picked out of the junk silver. Yes, according to the Red Book, the 1903-O is the best deal and is priced what you paid. Somebody must have been checking the Redbook while bidding. I don't because I believe their prices can be high. Barbers don't seem too high though.

 

They dont oldest they had were standing liberty quarters and walker half and kennedys and washingtons and mercs and rosverts and i have all the standing quarters he had. He keeps the bin in the back so sulposdly its not searched i get a dime a quarter and a half every week for silver