1850 Proof Cent Pattern - J-119, Original

Coin Details

Auction Record

$7,050 PR65 08-05-2014 Heritage Auctions

Description

Judd-119, Pollock-134, Low R.6. This perforated cent pattern represents one of the Mint's earliest serious attempts to replace the unwieldy large copper cent with a smaller, more practical coin. The obverse displays the denomination CENT at top and the date 1850 at bottom, flanked by two rosettes, all arranged around a central perforation. The reverse carries the inscriptions USA and ONE TENTH SILVER around the opening. Struck in billon (10% silver, 90% copper) with a plain edge. These patterns were created in response to legislation drafted by Congressman Sam F. Vinton of the House Ways and Means Committee in 1849, which proposed reducing the size of the one-cent piece. The central perforation served a dual purpose: it reduced the amount of metal required while maintaining a coin diameter large enough for practical handling. The billon alloy addressed the intrinsic-value requirement by incorporating a small amount of precious metal. According to researcher Andrew Pollock, the perforated billon versions be original strikings, though specimens exhibiting die cracks may represent either originals from later die states or subsequent restrikes.