1856 Proof Half Cent Pattern - J-177

Coin Details

Auction Record

$43,945 PR65 01-07-2015 Heritage Auctions

Description

Designated Judd-177 (Pollock-205) and rated R.5, this 1856 half cent pattern is a product of the same metallic experimentation program that produced the far more famous Flying Eagle cent patterns. While most attention has focused on the Mint's work with the one-cent denomination, the half cent was also subject to composition trials during this period. J-177 uses the regular half cent dies of 1856 but strikes them on copper-nickel planchets rather than the standard copper. Two slightly different copper-nickel alloys were employed — either 88:12 or 90:10 copper-to-nickel ratios — though the two compositions are virtually indistinguishable without elemental analysis. What is immediately apparent, however, is the difference in color: the copper-nickel alloy produces a distinctive silvery-gray appearance that stands in stark contrast to the warm brown tones of regular copper half cents. This visual distinction was not lost on Mint personnel, who recognized that the lighter color of copper-nickel coins would make them easier for the public to distinguish from other denominations. Struck with a plain edge, J-177 survives in sufficient numbers for its R.5 rating but remains a significant rarity in absolute terms.