1867 Two Cent Patterns

About This Coin

Struck at the Philadelphia Mint during the heart of the Reconstruction Era Patterns (1866-1869) series, the 1867 Two Cent patterns emerged when the regular-issue Two Cent piece was only three years into production yet already showing signs of declining interest that would lead to discontinuation in 1873. The obverse carries the shield design with IN GOD WE TRUST — the motto that first graced American coinage on the regular Two Cent piece of 1864, born from the religious fervor and national soul-searching of the Civil War years. The reverse displays a wreath enclosing 2 CENTS, maintaining the design vocabulary of James Barton Longacre. Pattern versions from 1867 tested compositional or design variations during a period when Mint Director James Pollock was actively exploring improvements across multiple denominations, producing an extraordinary volume of experimental coinage that makes the late 1860s one of the richest eras for pattern collectors. A notable auction result of $11K in PR62 grade at Heritage Auctions confirms sustained collector interest. The broader significance of the Two Cent denomination rests on its pioneering role in establishing IN GOD WE TRUST as a permanent feature of American coinage, a legacy that far outlasted the denomination and continues on every coin struck by the United States Mint today.