1884 Proof Cent Pattern - J-1721

Coin Details

Auction Record

PCGS PR68 realized $14,100 (Heritage, 2016). NGC PR67 CAC realized $8,225 (Heritage, 2014).

Description

This annular or ring-form cent pattern struck in nickel represents the realization of a concept proposed by the celebrated American genre painter Eastman Johnson in 1879. Johnson, best known for paintings such as "A Ride for Liberty" and "The Old Stage Coach," submitted sketches to the Philadelphia Mint indicating that small-denomination coins be manufactured with a central perforation, thereby increasing their diameter and making them readily distinguishable from higher-value coins without adding metal cost. The J-1721 cent features a simple design of a wreath, a small shield, and spare text arranged around a center hole punched through the planchet. The nickel composition gives the piece a silvery appearance that contrasts sharply with the bronze Indian Head cents then in circulation. Chief Engraver Charles Barber prepared the dies based on Johnson's original sketches, which contemporary accounts describe as nearly identical to the final patterns. The ring cent concept had historical precedent — similar perforated coins circulated in parts of Asia and were proposed for American coinage as early as the 1850s. Although never adopted for production, the 1884 ring cents generated considerable interest among contemporary numismatists and remain highly sought after as examples of the Mint's willingness to entertain unconventional design solutions.

Rarity Notes

R-5 to R-6. Approximately 25-40 examples known. Among the more available 1884 pattern varieties, because the unusual design attracted collector interest from the outset.

Cross References

Judd J-1721, Pollock P-1929