WHAT: The 1894-S Barber dime made auction history in January. Sold in a Heritage auction at the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) Convention in Tampa, the coin has been called โone of the most famous, mysterious and elusive coins in American numismatics.โ
MORE: Considered one of the โBig Threeโ gets in American coin rarities (along with the 1804 dollar and the 1913 Liberty nickel), the dime was first noticed by collectors in 1900 and has come to auction only four times. At this sale, 16 advanced collectors vied for the piece.
SMART COLLECTORS KNOW: Only 24 Barber dimes were struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1894, probably in order to balance a bullion account. No more than nine โ and possibly only eight โ examples of the 1894-S are known to collectors today. This one is the finest certified survivor.
HOT TIP: Heritage believes that โat least a couple moreโ of these dimes are still in circulation, and has announced a $10,000 reward to anyone who allows them to be the first to examine and verify a previously unknown and authentic 1894-S dime.
BOTTOM LINE: The actual selling price was $1,997,500.
MORE: PBS powerhouse “Antiques Roadshow” plans to visit six cities this summer. For 2016, tapings will happen in Orlando, Fla., Virginia Beach, Va., Indianapolis, Fort Worth, Texas, Palm Springs, Calif., and Salt Lake City. Admission is free but tickets, obtained in advance, are required. Visit www.pbs.org/antiques/tickets or call 888-762-3749. Deadline for applications is April 18, 2016.
