Why is a Barber dime called a Barber dime???
When most people think of the "Barber Dime" you think Barber is the woman on the obverse of the dime. In fact, the woman on the Dime is Lady Liberty... like all the coins in that time period. Capped Bust, Draped Bust, Liberty Seated, etc. they are all lady Liberty! So is Barber even feminine like one would first suspect? No. The Barber dime is called "Barber" due to the name for its designer, Charles E. Barber, who was Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint from 1879 to 1917. The design was also popular with other dominations of coins like the quarter and half-dollar around the same period.
|