The 1896-O Barber half dollar was struck in 90% fine silver at the New Orleans Mint. This southern mint produced U.S. coins from 1838 until 1861 – a year in which the mint was first taken over by the state of Louisiana, and then by the Confederacy. Production of U.S. coins resumed in 1879 and continued until 1909, when minting operations ceased for good. The 1896-O Barber half dollar is a precious silver keepsake from America's historic Gulf Coast mint.