1881 Proof Three Cent Pattern - J-1669

Coin Details

Auction Record

PR66 Brown PCGS CAC realized $6,600 at Heritage Auctions, May 2015.

Description

Second three-cent pattern variety from 1881, distinguished from J-1668 by differences in die characteristics, composition, or design details. The obverse continues the Liberty Head motif with coronet, while the reverse retains the Roman numeral III denomination within the wreath. Struck in copper-nickel with a plain edge, consistent with the regular-issue three-cent nickel's composition. These three-cent patterns occupy an unusual position in numismatic history: they represent serious Mint design work for a denomination that was already in decline. The three-cent nickel's annual mintage had fallen from millions in the late 1860s to under one million by 1881, and its continued existence was increasingly challenged by the availability of one-cent and five-cent coins. The 1881 patterns was the last serious attempt to modernize the three-cent piece before its quiet abolition eight years later, making them historically significant documents of a denomination's twilight.

Rarity Notes

R-6 (Very Rare). High R.6 per auction records, with approximately 10-15 specimens traced.

Cross References

Judd J-1669, Pollock P-1870