1883 Proof Nickel Pattern - J-1704

Coin Details

Auction Record

$8,050 PR67 07-27-2005 Heritage Auctions

Description

This proof five-cent pattern opens the 1883 nickel pattern series with a distinctive reverse inscription reading "PURE NICKEL" centered within a wreath of corn, cotton, maple, and wheat, with FIVE CENTS separated above and below and thirteen stars arranged seven left and six right. The obverse carries a Liberty Head portrait closely related to the design Charles Barber prepared for the production Liberty Head nickel, but with the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA replacing the thirteen stars that would appear on the adopted coin. Struck in nickel with a plain edge, J-1704 was produced as part of the comprehensive design and composition testing program that accompanied the introduction of the new Liberty Head design in 1883, replacing the Shield nickel that had served since 1866. The "PURE NICKEL" inscription reflects the influence of Joseph Wharton, the powerful nickel magnate who had lobbied aggressively for the adoption of nickel in American coinage and who maintained a keen interest in the composition of the five-cent piece. The pattern documents a reverse concept that would have made the coin's metallic composition explicit to the public, an approach ultimately rejected in favor of the Roman numeral V and wreath design that entered production. Elemental analysis of surviving specimens has revealed that some 1883 patterns were struck in compositions different from what their inscriptions claim, adding a layer of complexity to the metallurgical study of this series.

Rarity Notes

R-6 (Rare). Approximately 15-25 examples estimated across all grades. Specimens appear periodically at major auction houses.

Cross References

Judd J-1704, Pollock P-1908