1870 Proof Dime Pattern - J-829

Coin Details

Auction Record

$10,350 V CH PR 10-16-2003 Stack's

Description

Struck in aluminum with a reeded edge, this pattern marries the regular Seated Liberty obverse and Standard Silver wreath reverse with a metal considered exotic and precious in 1870. Before the Hall-Heroult electrolytic process revolutionized aluminum production in 1886, the metal was costlier than silver and far rarer in commercial use. The extraordinarily light weight of an aluminum dime-sized planchet would have startled anyone accustomed to the heft of silver coinage, making these pieces as much a metallurgical curiosity as a coinage proposal.

Rarity Notes

R-7. Extremely rare, estimated 4-12 specimens survive.

Cross References

Judd-829, Pollock-919