NNP

Charles Edward Barber

Biography

Born in London, son of William Barber. He came to America with his father in 1852. He was appointed assistant engraver under his father in 1869. He was promoted to Chief Engraver upon the death of his father in 1879 and served until his death in 1917. He had a collection of pattern coins from his time of service.

Barber opposed the work of all outside engravers, but most notably Augustus St-Gaudens. He copied some dies produced by others and added his initials.

He died in Philadelphia. Barber engraved dies many of the Assay Commission Medals:

1880 Assay Comm rev (AC-20)

1880 Assay Comm (AC-21)

1881 Assay Comm rev (AC-24)

1882-1883 Assay Commission rev (Julian AC-25, 26)

1884 Assay Comm (AC-27)

1885 Assay Comm (AC-28)

1886 Assay Comm (AC-29)

1887 Assay Comm (AC-30)

1888-1889 Assay Commission obv (Julian AC-31,32)

1890 Assay Comm (AC-33)

1891 Assay Comm obv (AC-34)

1892 Assay Comm rev (AC-36)

1894 Assay Comm obv (AC-38)

1895 Assay Comm (AC-39)

1896-1897 Assay Commission obv (Julian AC-40,41)

1898-1899 Assay Commission obv (Julian AC-42,43)

1900 Assay Comm obv (AC-44)

1901 Assay Comm obv (AC-45)

1906-1908 Assay Commiss obv (Julian AC-50,51,52)

1910-1911 Assay Commission obv (Julian AC-54,55)

1914 Assay Comm obv (AC-58)

Barber produced dies for many other mint medals:

American Medical Association (Julian AM-5)

National Fair Association (1881) (Julian AM-51, 52)

Charles Centennial (1883) (Julian CM-12)

Great Seal Centennial (1882) (Julian CM-20)

James A Garfield Indian Peace obv (82) (Julian IP-44)

Benjamin Harrison Indian Peace (1890) (Julian IP-48)

John Horn Lifesaving (1874) (Julian LS-14)

Metis Shipwreck (1875) (Julian LS-15)

Vessel Owners and Captains Assoc (86) (Julian LS-18)

Horation C. Burchard (1879) (Julian MT-7)

James P. Kimball (1885) (Julian MT-8)

Edward O. Leech (1890) (Julian MT-9)

A. Louden Snowden obv (1879) (Julian MT-12)

Daniel M. Fox (1886) (Julian MT-16)

William Barber (his father) (Julian MT-19)

William Windom (1890, 1891) (Julian MT-25, 26)

Henry Draper (1875) (Julian PE-9)

Dr. W. H Furness (Julian PE-12)

Joseph Henry (1879) (Julian PE-14)

Benjamin B. Howland (1876) (Julian PE-16)

Major General John C. Robinson (72) (Julian PE-28) Ulysses S. Grant (1879) (Julian PR-15) James A. Garfield (1882) (Julian PR-20, 21)

Chester A. Arthur (1883) (Julian PR-22)

Grover Cleveland (1885) (Julian PR-23)

Benjamin Harrison (1889) (Julian PR-24)

Buffalo Schools (1873) (Julian SC-14, 15)

Washington and Lee University (82) (Julian SC-65, 66)

Army of the Cumberland (Julian UN-2)

Robert Preston (1893) (USM 309)

John Carlisle (1893) (USM 203)

Lyman Gage obv (1897) (USM 205)

George Roberts (1898) (USM 310)

Leslie Shaw (1902) (USM 206)

Barber designed and engraved the dies for the Hawaiian silver coinage of 1883. Coinage included the dimes, quarters and dollars struck on standard U. S. Mint planchets.

Barber designed several commemorative coins:

Columbian Exposition obverse 1892

Isabella quarter 1893

Lafayette dollar 1900

Louisiana Purchase Exposition gold dollar 1903

Lewis and Clark Exposition gold dollar 1904

Panama-Pacific Commemorative half dollar 1915

Panama-Pacific Exposition quarter eagle 1915-S

McKinley Memorial gold dollar 1916

Barber designed a new series of coinage:

Barber Dime of 1892-1816

Barber Quarter of 1892-1916

Barber Half 1892-1915

Liberty Head Nickel for 1883 to 1913

bio: CCUS; Evans; Fielding (gives DOD as 2/19/17); NCAB 16; P-F (gives DOD as 2/18/17); Stauffer; WWWAmArt

profile: AJN 18 Jul 1883 page 15

obit: NUM 30 Apr 1917 page 171