1882 Proof Nickel Pattern - J-1692

Coin Details

Auction Record

$10,925 PR65 08-01-2002 Superior Galleries

Description

Seventeenth variety in the 1882 Liberty Head Nickel pattern competition. Following the Folger rejection and the subsequent redesign effort, the later Judd numbers in the 1882 series tend to show designs that comply with the legal requirement for UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on the reverse. This variety may feature one of Barber's attempts to incorporate the national legend on the reverse alongside the V denomination and wreath, a compositional challenge that required balancing multiple text elements without overwhelming the central design. Barber's final solution — placing the stars and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around Liberty on the obverse, with E PLURIBUS UNUM above the V on the reverse — proved remarkably elegant despite the constraints that produced it. Struck in copper-nickel with a plain edge, this pattern shows the design in a transitional state between the rejected and adopted configurations.

Rarity Notes

R-6 to R-7 (Very Rare to Extremely Rare). Estimated 8-12 specimens known.

Cross References

Judd J-1692, Pollock P-1894