1855 Proof Cent Pattern - Pollock-193, Restrike

Coin Details

Description

This restrike issue, cataloged as Judd-168 (Pollock-193) and rated R.4, was produced from the same dies as the original Pollock-193 strikings but at a later date, in the 1860s or 1870s to satisfy collector demand. The obverse presents the Flying Eagle design with thirteen surrounding stars and the date 1855, closely following the Gobrecht/Peale eagle originally conceived for silver dollars. The reverse mirrors the large cent layout with ONE CENT within a wreath and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA at the border. Struck in bronze with a plain edge, the restrike differs from the copper original in its alloy composition, which may help distinguish the two issues. The planchet is sized between the large cent and the small cent that would soon replace it, reflecting the Mint's experimental approach to downsizing the one-cent denomination. At R.4, this restrike is somewhat more available than many other 1855 Flying Eagle patterns, because the later production specifically targeted the growing numismatic market of the post-Civil War era.