1885 Proof Nickel Pattern - J-1743

Coin Details

Description

Judd-1743 is the aluminum companion to the silver J-1742, sharing the same annular (ring-shaped) die pair but struck in aluminum with a plain edge. The obverse features the central hole with surrounding denticles, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the date 1885, and thirteen stars, while the reverse displays FIVE CENTS beneath the national shield flanked by laurel branches. Where J-1742's silver composition gives the annular design a bright, lustrous appearance, the aluminum J-1743 has a lighter weight and a matte silvery-white surface characteristic of 19th-century aluminum coinage. This piece serves double duty within the 1885 pattern series: it is simultaneously part of the annular design experiment (paired with J-1740/J-1740a for the cent denomination) and part of the comprehensive aluminum set that spans all denominations. Aluminum five-cent patterns from the 1880s are particularly scarce, as the denomination had only recently been redesigned with the Liberty Head type in 1883, and the Mint's experimental attention was focused elsewhere. J-1743 is substantially rarer than its silver counterpart J-1742, reflecting the generally lower production numbers for aluminum strikings across the 1885 pattern series.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8. Fewer than 5 specimens believed extant.

Cross References

Judd J-1743, Pollock P-1955