1912 Barber Dime Proof
Proof struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 700 made
- Mintage
- 700
- Metal
- 90% silver, 10% copper
- Weight
- 2.5 g
- Diameter
- 17.9 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1912 Barber Dime Proof worth?
This is one of the dates collectors hunt for. A genuine 1912 is valuable in any condition, even well worn. That's exactly why fakes and altered coins turn up so often.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1912 Barber Dime Proof rare?
- Fairly. The Mint made 700 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 1912 Barber Dime Proof silver?
- Yes. It's 90% silver, 10% copper and holds 0.0723 troy ounces of pure silver.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1912 Barber Dime?
- On the reverse, below the bow of the wreath. Philadelphia dimes have no mint mark.
- How many 1912 Barber Dime proofs were made?
- 700.
What to check on your 1912
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Judge the grade under good light. LIBERTY on the headband is the benchmark: all seven letters must be clear for Fine and above.
Proofs from 1912 were struck one at a time in small numbers and many were later spent or mishandled. Look for hairlines from cleaning, which lower the grade.
The story of the 1912
New Orleans bows out (1909 to 1912)
The New Orleans Mint struck its last dimes in 1909, a run of 2,287,000. New Orleans never struck coins again. Denver's 1909 output was only 954,000, the lowest Denver figure of the series, while San Francisco made exactly 1,000,000. Those three coins are the better dates of the period and each brings more than the Philadelphia dates in any grade.
From 1910 Denver took over much of the branch mint work. Its mintages rose from 3,490,000 in 1910 to 11,209,000 in 1911 and 11,760,000 in 1912, while San Francisco ranged from 1,240,000 to 3,520,000. Philadelphia stayed between 10,240,000 and 19,349,300 a year. The total for 1909 to 1912 came to 98,859,300 dimes. The 1910-S, with 1,240,000 struck, is the scarcest coin dated after 1909 in this group. By now the Barber dime had been the ordinary dime in every pocket for nearly two decades, so most of these coins wore down quickly.
Proof mintages in these years ran between 543 and 700 a year. Those proofs are listed on their own pages. For an ordinary circulated coin, focus on LIBERTY and the rims. Late Barber dimes circulated for decades and many reached About Good, where the rims run into the legend and only part of the date shows. A coin from these years with a sharp, complete LIBERTY is a cut above the typical survivor and deserves a better place in a collection.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1912
Denver and San Francisco struck nickels for the first time, the only branch-mint Liberty Head nickels. It was the last regular year of the design.
How to recognize it
Barber's Liberty faces right, her hair gathered under a Phrygian cap and crowned with a laurel wreath. A narrow band above her forehead carries the word LIBERTY in tiny letters and that band is the first detail to wear away. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA circles the portrait with the date below. Unlike the Barber quarter and half dollar, the dime has no stars and no IN GOD WE TRUST, because there was simply no room for the motto. The reverse was carried over from the last Seated Liberty dimes: a wreath of corn, wheat, maple and oak leaves, tied with a bow at the bottom, around the words ONE DIME. Branch mint coins show an O, S or D just below the bow. The coin is 17.9 mm across, weighs 2.5 grams and has a reeded edge.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Barber Dime (1892–1916) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1912 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 700 |
| Face value | 10¢ |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Weight | 2.5 grams |
| Diameter | 17.9 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Silver content | 0.0723 troy oz (2.250 g) |
| Designer | Charles E. Barber |
Other 1912 Barber Dime issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 Barber Dime | 19,349,300 | Circulation strike | 0.0723 oz |
| 1912 Barber Dime Proof | 700 | Proof | 0.0723 oz |
| 1912-D Barber Dime | 11,760,000 | Circulation strike | 0.0723 oz |
| 1912-S Barber Dime | 3,420,000 | Circulation strike | 0.0723 oz |
Mintage: US Mint records as published in standard references, each figure checked against at least two independent sources. How we build these pages.