[The following excerpt is published courtesy of DLRC Press and its author, David Lawrence This information was originally published in 1991 in The Complete Guide to Barber Dimes]
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Mintage: 2,491,401
Varieties: Shelf doubling, both east and west is common in this date. Combined with the true RPM, it resulted in the “triple S.” Only a double S appeared on the die. The third was produced during striking. The triple-s is collectible because of its availability. Breen also lists an “ugly 3″ and an overdate. Wexler & Miller reports an 1893-S/S West, but doesn’t illustrate it. Hustad discovered an S/S South.
No. 101- 1893-S/S East. True RPM (photo). The S was first punched too far to the east (right} and then partially erased. It can be distinguished from the shelf-doubled S/S by the space between the two mint marks.
No. 102 – Triple-S (photo, also in Breen). The RPM is to the east, the shelf doubling to the west.
No. 103 – 1893-S/S South (photo of Hustad specimen). The mint mark was first punched too low, then partially effaced.
Scarcity: Hard to find in mid-grades, mint-state specimens are scarcer than expected. Probably less than one out of five are No. 101 and half of these are No. 102. Bath are very scarce In mint state. I know or one tripled graded MS69 by PCGS. Two other mint stale specimens (uncertified), not as nice, appeared in a recent Stack’s auction.
Rarity Rating: G-VG R2; F-VF R3; XF-AU R4; MS R3.
Total PCGS/NGC = 39 (RANKING 28/74).
Comments: Sharply struck with nice luster and sometimes p/l. Hustad has two specimens with extensive fine die cracks around the obverse perimeter. The die crack patterns of the two are different.
The 1893-S is quite scarce in MS64 and above. Nice specimens are probably a good investment at 1990 levels. Varieties can sometimes be cherry-picked at shows.
No. 101. 1893-S/S East
No. 102. 1893-S, triple-S
No. 103. 1893-S/S South