Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

Rare 1894-S Barber Dime Sells for $1.25 Million

A 132-year-old 1894-S Barber dime, considered a significant rarity in coin collecting, recently fetched $1.25 million at a Stack's Bowers Galleries auction.

The 1894-S Barber dime, designed by Charles E. Barber, features Lady Liberty on one side and the words "One Dime" on the other, with a small "s" indicating its San Francisco mint origin.

Only 24 of these dimes were minted in San Francisco in June 1894, with three set aside for testing, leaving a net mintage of just 21 coins. This low mintage was due to a sharp decline in coin demand during the Panic of 1893.

Currently, only nine examples of the 1894-S Barber dime are known to exist, making them exceptionally scarce. Opportunities to acquire one are infrequent, with only five having been offered at auction since 2005, selling for prices between $1.3 million and $2.16 million.

The dime sold has a notable history, having been purchased in 1957 for $4,750 by Q. David Bowers, who later became a prominent figure in numismatics. This acquisition launched his career and led to national media attention.

After its initial sale by Bowers, the coin passed through several hands and has been auctioned four times in total, all by Stack's Bowers Galleries. It was part of the collection of Charles Litman before its recent sale.

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