1896 Proof Nickel Pattern - J-1770

Coin Details

Auction Record

$8,400 PR65 04-29-2018 Heritage Auctions

Description

Judd-1770 in proof format is a pattern five-cent piece struck in nickel with a plain edge, the proof counterpart to the business-strike version of J-1770. The obverse features Charles Barber's shield design adapted for the five-cent denomination, identical to the cent pattern obverse: a vertically striped shield with LIBERTY on a scroll, crossed poles behind supporting a Phrygian cap and eagle, E PLURIBUS UNUM above, and the date 1896 below. The reverse displays 5 CENTS within a curved olive sprig, surrounded by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The proof finish presents mirrored fields with sharply defined design elements, though pure nickel's extreme hardness sometimes prevented the dies from fully impressing every detail even under the higher striking pressures used for proof production. This pattern was part of the Barber-designed shield series created in response to a congressional resolution investigating alternative coinage alloys. The shield design used for both the cent and five-cent 1896 patterns deliberately echoed the Shield Nickel of 1866 to 1883, recalling the first five-cent piece struck in a nickel alloy. The proof J-1770 from the Harry W. Bass Jr. collection demonstrates the provenance these pieces typically carry, as the small number produced gravitated toward the most prominent pattern coin collectors of successive generations.

Rarity Notes

R-6. Approximately 15 to 25 examples exist.

Cross References

Judd J-1770, Pollock P-1987