1883 Proof Nickel Pattern - J-1707

Coin Details

Auction Record

$6,500 PR65 03-01-1980 Bowers & Ruddy

Description

This proof five-cent pattern introduces a different reverse type from the "PURE NICKEL" series that opened the 1883 sequence. J-1707 features a reverse with the proposed alloy composition inscribed numerically within the wreath, indicating the specific ratio of metals in the planchet — a design approach that would make the coin's intrinsic metallic content transparent to the public. The obverse retains the Liberty Head portrait that Charles Barber had developed through extensive experimentation beginning in 1882, when Mint Superintendent Archibald Loudon Snowden directed Barber to prepare uniform designs for the cent, three-cent nickel, and five-cent piece. The numerical composition inscription on the reverse represents a philosophical approach to coinage design that prioritized technical specification over artistic expression, contrasting with the more decorative Roman numeral V reverse that was ultimately adopted. This transparency-focused design concept was influenced by Joseph Wharton's advocacy for nickel coinage, as making the nickel content explicit would have reinforced the metal's importance and Wharton's commercial interests in the denomination.

Rarity Notes

R-6 to R-7 (Rare to Very Rare). Approximately 10-15 examples estimated across all grades.

Cross References

Judd J-1707, Pollock P-1912