Got a Barber!!!

[skelly9131]

Things have slowed down a bit since my near dream box a couple of weeks ago. Have gotten a few decent boxes with 15 and 9 keepers, but also several onesies and skunks. I was getting skunked through my second box last night when down to about the last 10 rolls I see a really black edge. Thought it was foreign or a really dirty 40% at first, but was amazed to find a 1896-S Barber, a key date! It's in really worn shape and matches the description of a G-4 I think. It is also very black. Anyone know if that will add, detract or unchange it's value? I've attached some pictures, but it's really difficult to make out the coin since it's so black.

So, how many others have found a Barber? I'm assuming it's pretty rare to get one from a box.

 

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[dave5710]

I found an 1894s in the fall of 2007. Not as dark as yours, and not as rare either. But I was pretty happy. I'm sure the first words out of my mouth were HOLY S___!!!

I figure with all the dimes I search, if I ever find another it will be a dime not a half. Good going, they sure are fun to find.

 

[mountainman 2]

Congrats on that key date! Barbers are hard to come by,i've only found 3 in 3 years. Don't try to clean it, it can drastically lower the value.

 

[silvereagle78]

Wow, that is really sweet. I agree don't clean it !!!!

 

[RIcoinhunter]

Sweet Find!!!

 

[fistfulladirt]

Congrats! I would gladly buy that coin, but only AFTER you clean it! No way would it go in my collection looking like that.

 

[Kauka]

hey - u got it!
congrats!
be happy
keep it as is
it's rare as is

 

[AGCoinHunter]

It can be "cleaned" to get some of the organic crud off it. Dipping in acetone and then in purified water might get some of the junk off. A toothpick or q-tip can also be used but nothing that would scrub or scrape the surface.

 

[Rich Hartford]

Nice find on that Barber
HH
Rich

 

[twinsrule]

Sweet find!

 

[tank014]

I haven't found one yet and I've been doing this for about 5 years now and keep upping and upping the amount of coin I go through in the hopes of getting one. Congrats but send good thoughts my way so I can get one too.
HH,
Frank

 

[rjw4law]

I have not had too much luck on the quarters, mostly dimes though.....That barber sure was a good find.

 

[CHAINCHOMP]

good job!

 

[maine_Jim]

Nice find! - I'd give it an acetone bath and might even go with an ammonia bath. Water down the ammonia to a 4:1 ration and make sure it is clear ammonia. Don't do it for very long. Might get it a little brighter and get some crud off it. On the other hand if you like it, leave it like it is! I've cleaned a few low end expensive coins that had some green crud starting to destroy the coin. This would be considered conservation as they were being destroyed by the crud. They came out ok but I practiced on some other dark junk coins first.

Maine_Jim

 

[thurmownator]

Very nice find and congrats on finding your first (?) Barber.

Assuming it is a half dollar though, and I don't mean to "rain on your parade" , but what info do you have that makes you think it is a " key date ! " True, only 1.1M were minted, but there are almost twenty five (25) other halves in the Barber series with lower mintages.

Just curious as to your definition of "key date"; for there are coins from each series that are genuinely classified as key dates.

Again, kudos on your find, not trying to bring you down, but with so many newbies on this forum; I'd hate for them to get bad info.