"The Barber half-dollar series consists of 73 regular issues, plus one major variety. Since large denominations tend to be more popular than small ones, Barber halves have more collectors than either the dimes or the quarters - but only in circulated grades (AG-VF+). In higher grades the greater cost of assembling a set reduces the number of collectors, but the lower availability of these coins tends to balance this out.

There are no true rarities in the lower grades (other than the 1892 micro-O), but three regular issues each have total mint state populations lower than that of the 1901-S quarter. Of the 73 regular issues, three are R6, 16 are R5, 10 are R4, 17 are R3, 15 are R2 and only 12 are R1. The micro-O, with only two coins certified, is R8 in mint state.

There were 5,152 mint state Barber halves certified in June 1991, when The Complete Guide to Barber Halves was published. This means approximately 550 mint state halves have been added to the population reports each year since then.

With the affluence that comes from the booming stock market and U.S. economy, mint state halves are currently enjoying unprecedented popularity. In practical terms, all halves that are rated R5 and above are often difficult to find. A nice mint state set can be assembled, but a little luck and patience will be required to do it in a reasonable amount of time.