When placing a barrier, the barrier particle doesn't display in the barrier block for me, but the barrier block itself places. Currently only tested on a mostly blank void world preset with some concrete blocks.
How to Reproduce
1. Go in a world in the 17w06a snapshot
2. Place a barrier
3. Hold a barrier
4. Barrier particle doesn't display
Sorry, whoops, really thought I had particles enabled but somehow I missed that switching between worlds and versions.