1910 Proof Nickel Pattern - J-1788

Coin Details

Description

Judd-1788 is a proof nickel pattern from 1910, continuing the five-cent denomination design exploration that had produced seven patterns in 1909. This solitary 1910 nickel pattern bridges the gap between the extensive 1909 series and the later 1912-1913 patterns that would directly precede the Buffalo Nickel's adoption. The year 1910 was significant for American coinage governance: President Taft signed the executive order establishing the Commission of Fine Arts on May 17, 1910, creating a permanent body to advise on matters of art and architecture including coin design. The Commission would become the decisive voice in selecting James Earle Fraser's Buffalo Nickel design over the objections of Chief Engraver Barber, who preferred his own in-house designs. J-1788 represents one of Barber's continued design explorations, produced before the Commission's authority over coinage aesthetics was fully established. The pattern was struck in proof format in copper-nickel at the Philadelphia Mint, and its position as the only 1910 nickel pattern indicates the design effort slowed while institutional structures and competitive processes were being organized. This transitional piece documents the quiet middle chapter of the nickel redesign story between the 1909 burst of activity and the 1912-1913 climax.

Rarity Notes

R-6 to R-7 (Very Rare to Extremely Rare). As the sole 1910 nickel pattern, J-1788 may survive in slightly fewer numbers than the 1909 series, approximately 8-15 specimens.

Cross References

Judd J-1788, Pollock P-1978