William Barber
Biography
Born in London. Father of Charles Barber. Employed in England with De La Rue and Company making dies for embossed cards and labels. Came to America in September 1852. He worked in Boston for ten years. Employed making dies for Gorham Silverware Company.
He began as an assistant engraver under Longacre in 1865. Appointed Chief Engraver to succeed Longacre in January 1869 and served until his death. He died in Philadelphia after catching a severe chill while bathing on the seashore at Atlantic City.
Barber produced dies for several of the Assay Commission Medals
1868 Assay Comm (Julian AC-4)
1869 Assay Comm (AC-5,6,7)
1870 Assay Comm (AC-8) 1871
Assay Comm (AC-9, 10) 1872
Assay Comm (AC-11) 1873
Assay Comm (AC-12) 1874
Assay Comm (AC-13) 1875
Assay Comm (AC-14) 1876
Assay Comm (AC-15) 1877
Assay Comm (AC-16, 17)
1878 Assay Comm (AC-18)
1879 Assay Comm (AC-19)
Barber produced dies for many mint medals:
American Medical Association (Julian AM-5)
Franklin Institute (Julian AM-22)
Middlesex South Agricultural Soc (Julian AM-48)
National Academy of Design obverse (Julian AM-50)
New England Agricultural Soc. (Julian AM-53, 54)
New Hampshire Agricultural Society (Julian AM-56)
Pennsylvania Inter-State Fair (Julian AM-69)
United States Centennial (Julian CM-10)
United States Centennial (Julian CM-11)
Chicago Fire (Julian CM-13)
Emancipation Proclamation (Julian CM-16)
Mecklenburg Centennial (Julian CM-28)
Mexican Veterans Association (Julian CM-31)
Pacific Railroad (Julian CM-39)
Valley Forge Centennial (Julian CM-48)
Metis Shipwreck (Julian LS-15)
Vessel Owners and Captains Assoc (Julian LS-18)
David Rittenhouse (Julian MT-1)
James Pollack (Julian MT-4)
James Pollack (Julian MT-5)
Henry R. Linderman (Julian MT-6)
Louis Agassiz (Julian PE-1, 2)
Cyrus Field (Julian PE-10)
Dr. W. H. Furness (Julian PE-12)
Joseph Henry (Julian PE-14)
Joseph Pancoast (Julian PE-25)
Andrew Johnson (Julian PR-13)
Ulysses S. Grant (Julian PR-14, 15)
Abraham Lincoln (Julian PR-38)
Washington and Lincoln reverse (Julian PR-31)
Washington and Grant reverse (Julian PR-32)
Lincoln and Grant (Julian PR-39)
Lincoln and Garfield (Julian PR-40,41)
James Garfield (Julian PR-43, 44)
St. John's Lodge (Julian RF-21)
Alcorn University (Julian SC-2)
Beethoven Conservatory of Music (Julian SC-8,9)
Buffalo Schools (Julian SC-14, 15)
Jefferson Medical College (Julian SC-27)
Pennsylvania First District School (Julian SC-34,35)
Yale University (Julian SC-72)
Barber designed the 20 cent piece of 1875-1878 and the Trade Dollar of 1873-1885.
bio: Fielding; P-F; NYHSD; Stauffer
profile: AJN 18 Jul 1883 page 15
obit: AJN 14 Oct 1879 page 55