1896 Nickel Pattern - J-1770

Coin Details

Description

Judd-1770 in business strike format is a pattern five-cent piece struck in nickel with a plain edge, sharing the same shield obverse design used on the 1896 cent patterns but adapted for the five-cent denomination. The obverse features Charles Barber's shield with thirteen stripes, a LIBERTY scroll across the center, crossed poles behind topped by a Phrygian cap and eagle, E PLURIBUS UNUM above, and the date 1896 below. The reverse displays the denomination 5 CENTS within a curved olive sprig, surrounded by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. This business-strike version lacks the mirrored proof fields of the proof J-1770, exhibiting instead the matte or satin finish of a coin intended to simulate circulation production. The shield design recalls the Shield Nickel type of 1866 to 1883, reviving its patriotic Civil War-era imagery for a new generation of potential coinage. The 1896 five-cent patterns tested whether an alternative design and different alloy combinations might improve upon the Liberty Head nickel then in production. Pure nickel's extreme hardness made it difficult to fully bring up all design details during striking, a practical consideration that influenced the decision to retain the existing copper-nickel alloy for the Liberty Head type. This business-strike format was produced to evaluate the design's appearance under normal production conditions.

Rarity Notes

R-6. Approximately 15 to 25 examples exist.

Cross References

Judd J-1770, Pollock P-1987