Numismatic

1900 Barber Half Dollar VG

---

The year 1900 marked the turn of a new century, and in circulation at the time was the United States half dollar designed by Chief Engraver Charles Barber. Minted in 90 percent silver, this fifty-cent piece contains 0.3575 troy ounces of precious metal. Examples preserved in Very Good condition show the clear, honest wear of a coin that actively circulated through the hands of everyday Americans at the dawn of the twentieth century. The obverse of the coin presents a stoic profile of Lady Liberty. She is depicted wearing a traditional Phrygian cap beneath a laurel wreath, with a crown-like band clearly displaying the word LIBERTY across her brow. This classic representation of freedom is framed by stars and the date 1900 at the bottom. On the reverse, a powerful eagle spreads its wings in a heraldic display. The majestic bird holds a protective shield across its chest, while its beak clasps a flowing banner. In its talons, the eagle grips both an olive branch of peace and a cluster of arrows, symbolizing readiness for defense. The legend surrounding this detailed reverse design identifies the nation as the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA alongside the denomination, HALF DOLLAR.