William Barber

William Barber (May 2, 1807 – August 31, 1879) was Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1869 until his death in 1879. He succeeded James B. Longacre in the position.

Biography Mr. Barber was born in London, England on May 2, 1807. Besides much original work on pattern coins, he also produced over 40 medals, public and private, the work on all of them very creditable.

Barber is best known for his "Britannia"-inspired Trade dollar design, which was produced from 1873–1878 for circulation in the Far East, and in proof-only form thereafter until 1883. (The 1884 and 1885 Trade dollars were clandestinely made at the mint and are not actually part of the series. They are ultra-rarities, with ten and five coined, respectively, and despite their dubious origin, are highly valued)

When preparations were made to create a new denomination, the double dime (twenty-cent piece), William Barber and Philadelphia Mint Superintendent James Pollock knew that the design needed to be significantly different from the Liberty Seated design used on the quarter dollar. Barber designed a series of patterns that were designed to do just that, including the so-called "Sailor Head" and "Liberty at the Seashore" designs. He also created two different wreath designs and one shield design for the reverse. However, Mint Director H.R. Linderman mandated that Barber instead use the Liberty Seated design with an eagle on the reverse, thus dooming the coin to failure. The double dime saw circulation only in 1875 and 1876, with proofs struck in 1877 and 1878.

William Barber designed and engraved a number of medals. Among them are the 1869 "broken column" medalet (mini medal) remembering Lincoln's assassination, the popular 1869 Pacific Railroad medal, the even more popular 1876 Centennial medal, and the second Ulysses S. Grant Inaugural medal. What most people don't know is that William Barber designed what would have been the first U.S. commemorative coin, had it ever been made. Original sketches of a Liberty head quarter dollar were to commemorate the beginning of the nation's second century. Unfortunately, the beautiful design didn't overcome lack of interest in the idea for the coin, and it never made it to the pattern stage.

Coins Designed

Trade Dollar Double Dime (Twenty Cent Piece) Various patterns, including the 1877 Half-union, the "Sailor Head" and "Liberty at the Seashore" twenty-cent pieces, several 1877 half dollar patterns, an 1878 silver dollar, and the beautiful so-called "Amazonian" patterns of 1872

Medals

1869 "Broken column" Lincoln medalet 1869 Transcontinental Railroad Medal ("Oceans united by railway") 1876 Centennial medal (for Philadelphia's United States International Exposition) 1878 Valley Forge Centennial medal - known as Musante GW-959 or HK-136 1879 Grant second inaugural medal