It’s been quite a while since I’ve added a coin to my Barber half Dansco. I don’t even remember what the last date I added was. I recently grabbed this 1904 off eBay. It has the look I’m going for with my set and is right in the grade range I want.
I bet it’s a lot harder to find a suitable addition than it may seem to the casual bystander. Very nice coins!
I like my early coins to look like they had to work for a living. Eye appeal in your set is great, just the way mine is. Used but not abused.
I agree with Inspector43, great look. Barbers don't always get a lot of love but they wear so well that circulated coins still look great. Are you a BCCS member by any chance?
I put together a set in VG and it was quite challenging . Some of the dates took years to find in that grade.
I have all but 5. I started on it in 1948. Most I got through change and trading with others in my home town. Some I found in coin shops. A couple on eBay. My aunts, uncles and grandparents knew I was a collector. If they found a nice coin they would give it to me for birthday, Christmas, etc. The last 5 are going to be difficult because I let it sit so long as I tended to other things. Like @Jeffjay said, the right grade is hard to find.
Very nice set. My set has all the holes filled, but most of them are "average circulated for Barber halves" -- no reverse rim, some scratched or cleaned, and I think my 1915-P is actually bent. Not many are up to the standards you've set. Good work!
Not of the set, I'll try to remember to take a couple. Most I got out of lots sold by one of the more disreputable sellers on eBay. (They were shut down once their borderline-criminal purchasing practices started to get press attention.) Thought I had shots of a couple of the individuals, but I'm not turning them up. I did post two in this GTG thread. I've since sold that 1901-S; I still have the 1909-S, but since it's now slabbed it's no longer in the Dansco, and I haven't gotten a replacement for it. So, still a hole in the album. I don't have any others that break VF in the album, unless you count the 1916 Carr restrike (I don't). I think I've got one or two XF/AU details common dates that are super-harshly cleaned, but they aren't going into the album.
I like the set that the OP is putting together. I am now going to research a possible subset (1 from each year, at least 1 from each mint and every New Orleans mint - 24 coins total I believe). Thanks for the inspiration. BTW, I always thought the rendition of Liberty on the Barber Half and Barber Quarter looked like a male. Androgynous at best.
I know I'm supposed to be checking out your new 1904, and I am, I promise...but that 1897 is something else! You've got yourself a nice set! I refuse to admit that it is anything other than male.
Really jealous of the VG/F coins; all I can afford at the moment are ag/g pieces for my album. Nice work!
It’s been some time again since my last addition. I was at a show this morning and in a barber mood. There was one dealer with a pretty good selection of Barber halves and I ended up taking 6 home. 5 are new dates and the 1909 is an upgrade. The 1900 and 1915 D are my favorites. All the reverses are pretty much the same as the obverse other than the 09. The reverse on that is quite a bit darker than the obverse.
