Barber Half Dollar Melt Value (1892 to 1915)
As of October 2, 2026, with silver at $60.05 per troy ounce, a Barber half dollar has a melt value of $21.72. Each one holds 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver, and two of them ($1 face value) hold 0.7234 ounces.
Barber half dollars were struck in 90 percent silver from 1892 to 1915 and hold 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver each. The melt value below is computed live from the spot price.
Melt value per coin
$21.72/coin
- ASW
- 0.3617 troy oz
- Purity
- 90% silver
- Silver spot
- $60.05/oz
- As of
- Oct 2, 2026, 16:42 UTC
1 coin: $21.72
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EmbedDealer price: 90% Junk Silver ($10 Face) from $440.07 at SD Bullion.
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How Much Is a Barber Half Dollar Worth in Melt Value?
A Barber half weighs 12.50 grams at 90 percent silver, or 11.25 grams (0.3617 troy ounces) of pure silver. The Walking Liberty half that replaced it, the Franklin half, and the 1964 Kennedy half all hold the same amount, so they share one melt value. See them all on the silver coin melt values table, or price a mixed stack with the junk silver calculator.
Barber Half Dollar Values by Date
Every date has the same melt floor. The collector premium above it, summarized here from the PCGS CoinFacts and NGC price guides, depends on date, mint mark and grade.
| Date | Melt floor (live) | Typical collector value |
|---|---|---|
| Common dates | $21.72 | Worn Philadelphia coins and most branch mint dates trade at or a little above melt; better grades carry collector premiums |
| 1897-O | $21.72 | Low-mintage New Orleans key; worth many times melt in any grade |
| 1897-S | $21.72 | San Francisco key; strong premium in every grade |
| 1904-S | $21.72 | Scarce key, especially in better grades |
| 1914 | $21.72 | Smallest mintage of the series; well above melt even when worn |
| 1915 | $21.72 | Final year and the second-smallest mintage; well above melt even when worn |
The mint mark is on the reverse, below the eagle. Philadelphia coins have none, which is why the 1914 and 1915 keys are easy to miss in a lot priced by weight.
Why Did the Barber Half Dollar End in 1915?
Charles E. Barber, the Mint's Chief Engraver, designed the half dollar together with the matching dime and quarter, and all three entered circulation in 1892. An 1890 law barred changing a coin's design more often than once in 25 years. Counting from 1892, the Barber designs became eligible in 1916, and the Mint replaced all three that year. No half dollars dated 1916 carry Barber's design; Adolph Weinman's Walking Liberty half took over.
Barber Half Dollar Melt Value at Different Silver Prices
Each row multiplies one Barber half's 0.3617 ounces of silver by a round spot price.
| Silver spot price | Barber Half Dollar melt value |
|---|---|
| $30.00 per oz | $10.85 |
| $40.00 per oz | $14.47 |
| $50.00 per oz | $18.09 |
| $60.00 per oz (closest to current spot) | $21.70 |
| $70.00 per oz | $25.32 |
| $80.00 per oz | $28.94 |
| $90.00 per oz | $32.55 |
Barber Half Dollar Specifications
These figures were constant for the whole series and match every other 90 percent US half dollar.
| Specification | Barber Half Dollar |
|---|---|
| Years minted | 1892 to 1915 |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Gross weight | 12.50 grams |
| Actual silver weight (ASW) | 0.3617 troy oz |
| Face value | 50c |
| Diameter | 30.6 mm |
| Designer | Charles E. Barber |
Published by MetalCharts, a free precious metals resource providing real-time prices, interactive charts, educational guides, and portfolio management tools. All market data sourced from COMEX, LBMA, and LME.
Data Methodology
How is the melt value per coin calculated?
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