A Masonic Order medal ornately engraved replacing the obverse of a Barber Type II Reverse quarter dollar is featured by collector Bob Moffatt in the Fall 2024 issue of the Journal of the Barber Coin Collectors’ Society.

Barber quarter dollars were struck from 1892 into 1916. On the reverse identified as Type II, used on some quarters struck in 1892, all from 1893 through 1899, and again on some in 1900, the eagle’s left wing covers the middle of the letter E in UNITED, completely covering where the center bar and serif of the E might be expected to be.

The coin’s obverse, completely obliterated by the Masonic Order heraldry, would have been the Type II obverse, on which Liberty’s ear shows no center cartilage and the end of her hair ribbon nearer her neck is deeply forked.

The host coin for Moffat’s piece likely was from production at the Philadelphia Mint, as the reverse has no Mint mark below the eagle’s tail, where Mint marks would be found on issues produced at the New Orleans and San Francisco Mints during the period.

The coin’s obverse is completely changed, with a gold keystone-shaped overlay. Moffatt explains the keystone reflects the 14th degree within the York Rite of the Masons, known as the Royal Arch Chapter, which unifies masonic lodges within a specific geographic region, such as a state, according to Moffatt. Moffatt suspects the gold in the overlay is likely 14 karat, a composition of 58.3 percent gold and 41.7 percent alloy.

Engraved nearly vertically in the field on the left side of the silver coin is WORCESTER and in the right field R.A. CHAPTER designating the Royal Arch Chapter of Worcester, Massachusetts.

According to Moffatt, the medal would have been presented to one Charles H.L. Barrett, who is referenced in the engraved lettering in an arc along the top of the keystone as CHAS. H.L. BARRETT.

Moffatt suggests Barrett would have been active in the Royal Arch Chapter, tasked with overseeing the activities of all the lodges within its jurisdiction.

Barrett’s masonic mark would be represented by the central five-pointed star with lightning bolts, surrounded by an enameled circle featuring letters HTWSSTKS separated by delimiters, representing an ancient mason who cut stones for Solomon’s Temple, according to Moffatt. The letters refer to “Hiram The Widow’s Son Sent To King Solomon.”

All third degree Freemasons study the story of a man named Hiram Abiff (a.k.a. Hiram the Widow’s Son.) According to legend, Hiram was chief architect for the temple of King Solomon.

When evil non-believers tried to get the secret masonic passwords out of Hiram, he valiantly refused to tell them and as a result was killed. In Masonic teachings, Hiram’s story is held up as an example of loyalty.

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