A key date coin is generally harder to find than other dates within a coin series. These key dates also tend to be more valuable and more sought after by collectors and investors. Collectors Dashboard is evaluating the key date of the 1895 O Barber 10c series, and its collectability of the barber series is numerous with opportunities.

The 1895 New Orleans minted dime has a mintage of just 440,000. Filling the date in a collection is nearly a $500.00 investment in the lowest grades. However, the price differences in higher grades for the 1895 O dime are comparatively attainable.

Understood as the key date in the series of Barber Dimes, the 1895 O had an auction record sale of $58,755.88 on January 4, 2017 in PCGS MS67 by Heritage Auctions. A similar sale was in January 2005 by American Numismatic Rarities for $41,400.00 in MS66 condition. This significance is the amount retained in value from 2005. With only three grading in MS66 the next sale could fetch above the $42,500.00 PCGS price guide value.

A Heritage Auction in August 2006 had the second highest all time sale price at $52,900 for an MS66. The higher grades are ripe for a new high sale the next time one of the three in that condition comes to market. Most significant are the 9 in the condition one point lower at MS65.

Heritage Auction sales dating back to January 1999 have brought above $10,350.00 to the seller for MS65 condition examples. The highest in MS65 condition was a January 2014 Heritage Auction sale of $34,075.00. Most recently, in December of 2020, one sample sold well below the PCGS price guide value of $28,500.00 after selling for only $19,800.00.

The recent lower trends of Auction prices may be a win for the collector, although it may not be the best news for an investor who fancies making profits from numismatics. A key date coin makes a beautiful addition to a high grade Barber Dime collection. This is a 10-cent silver coin that is a proven leader in collectible coinage.