1890 Proof Cent Pattern - J-1759

Coin Details

Description

Judd-1759 is a proof pattern cent struck from regular production Indian Head cent dies in aluminum with a plain edge. The obverse features Longacre's Indian Head design with Liberty in a feathered headdress, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the border, and the date 1890. The reverse carries the standard oak wreath with shield enclosing ONE CENT. The aluminum composition makes this piece particularly noteworthy as part of the Mint's ongoing exploration of alternative metals for coinage during the late nineteenth century. Aluminum had been tested periodically for cent-sized coins since the 1860s, when its novelty and lightweight properties attracted interest from Mint officials. An aluminum cent would weigh only a fraction of the standard bronze piece, dramatically reducing metal and shipping costs. However, concerns about durability, public acceptance, and the metal's tendency to show wear quickly kept aluminum from being adopted for circulating coinage. This proof striking demonstrates that the Mint continued to evaluate aluminum as a potential coinage metal well into the established Indian Head cent era. The piece would have been produced in the Mint's medal room alongside other proof and experimental strikings. Along with J-1757 in copper and J-1758 in copper-nickel, J-1759 completes a trio of 1890 cent patterns that collectively tested the Indian Head design across three different metals.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8. Fewer than 10 examples exist. Aluminum strikings from this era are exceptionally fragile.

Cross References

Judd J-1759, Pollock P-1973