1850 Proof Cent Pattern - J-124a

Coin Details

Auction Record

Description

Judd-124A, Pollock-143. This variant of the 1850 annular cent pattern shares the basic design concept of the Judd-124 series -- experimental small cent patterns produced as the Mint sought to replace the oversized large copper cent. It is a muling of the 1850 obverse with the 1853 ONE CENT wreath reverse, so CENT appears on both sides, struck in white metal on a perforated planchet; USPatterns knows one, ex Bowers and Merena January 1988. The 1850 cent patterns exist in at least five compositional variants (Judd-124 through 124C and related varieties), reflecting the Mint's systematic testing of different metal combinations for the proposed smaller cent. Each variant offered different trade-offs between production cost, durability, resistance to counterfeiting, and public acceptance. These experiments laid the groundwork for the eventual transition away from the large cent, which would not be fully realized until the introduction of the Flying Eagle cent in 1857. Reference data: struck in white metal with a plain edge, rated R-8. Catalogued as Judd-124A, Pollock-143. perforated, same as J152B ?.

Rarity Notes

R-8 (USPatterns.com)

Cross References

Judd-124a; Pollock-143