1853 Proof Cent Pattern - J-151d

Coin Details

Auction Record

$9,600 PR65 05-07-2023 Heritage Auctions

Description

Judd-151d, Pollock-178, rated Low R.7. Like its companion piece J-151c, this pattern features an unfinished obverse die showing only border dentils with no portrait, legends, or date. The reverse carries the standard ONE CENT denomination enclosed within a laurel wreath. What sets the J-151d apart is its composition: billon, a low-grade silver alloy that was an unlikely candidate for actual coinage but demonstrates the breadth of materials the Mint evaluated during this period of experimentation. The edge is plain. These blank-obverse strikings were produced under what appear to have been rushed conditions, reflecting the urgency felt within the Mint to find a viable replacement for the large copper cent, which had become increasingly impractical as rising copper prices pushed its metal value near its face value. Very few examples have survived.