VINTAGE 1899 Barber Quarters Lot of 3 – 90% Silver US Coins – Turn of the Century

Three genuine 1899 Barber quarters — 75 cents in American pocket change from the turn of the century.

All three were struck at the Philadelphia Mint and have no mintmark.

The Barber quarter was designed by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber and struck from 1892 through 1916. Each was made of 90% silver and 10% copper.

These three are very well circulated, ungraded examples. Liberty's portrait and other higher details have been substantially softened by wear, while the dates, major design elements and much of the reverse lettering remain identifiable.

There are scratches, marks, toning, discoloration and considerable wear accumulated during more than a century of existence. They have not been cleaned or polished by Auntie Nen's Stuff.

And with these particular coins, the wear may be the most interesting part.

75 CENTS IN 1899

These three quarters were minted when William McKinley was President, the Spanish-American War had ended only the year before, automobiles were still novelties, horses filled American streets, and the Wright brothers had yet to make their first powered flight.

Together, they represented 75 cents — and in 1899, that was anything but loose change.

Imagine walking into the neighborhood grocery with a list.

This was seventeen years before Piggly Wiggly introduced self-service grocery shopping in 1916. Instead of pushing a cart down an aisle, a shopper typically stood at the counter and gave the grocer an order. The clerk fetched the goods, weighing and measuring many staples before wrapping them for the trip home.

Perhaps the list called for bread, flour, sugar, beans, potatoes, coffee, butter or cheese. The grocer might scoop, weigh, cut and wrap the order while the customer waited at the counter.

And depending on what was on that day's list, our shopper might very well have handed over these three quarters — and received change.

We can't know what these particular coins purchased. Maybe groceries. Maybe streetcar fares. Maybe meals. Maybe something entirely different.

But look at them.

They didn't spend 127 years staying pretty.

These quarters were used, passed from hand to hand, spent and received as change until Liberty herself was nearly worn smooth.

Three quarters from the turn of the century — and they look like they were there for it.

Sold together as the group of three shown. Please examine all photographs carefully; they are an important part of the description and show the exact coins you will receive.

Shipping included in the US.