1892 half dollar

What matters about 1892

First year of the Barber design, which replaced the Seated Liberty half dollar after fifty-two years.

Identifying it

A 1892 half dollar is a Barber, designed by Charles E. Barber. The obverse shows Liberty in a Phrygian cap wearing a laurel wreath, facing right and the reverse a heraldic eagle with a shield, arrows and an olive branch. It measures 30.6mm across.

Mint mark: Reverse, below the eagle.

Because it is solid silver alloy all the way through, the edge is the fastest check: hold it side on and look for an unbroken silver-grey band. A clad coin of the same design shows a copper stripe sandwiched between two lighter layers. The other three checks take about the same time.

The rest of the jar

Every circulating silver denomination in 1892 used the same 90% alloy, so their silver content is simply proportional to face value. If you are sorting a mixed container, these are the numbers you need.