1912 Proof Nickel Pattern - P-5165, Fraser Electrotrial Nickel

Coin Details

Auction Record

$657 PR63 08-30-2014 Stack's Bowers

Description

An electrotrial reproduction of James Earle Fraser's Buffalo Nickel design, produced in 1912 as part of the design evaluation process one year before the coin entered regular production. Electrotrials are created through electrotyping — a process in which a mold is taken from a model or die, then metal is slowly deposited onto the mold through electrolysis, building up a shell that faithfully reproduces every detail of the original surface. Unlike die-struck coins, which are formed instantaneously under tremendous pressure, electrotype shells are grown gradually over hours or days, capturing surface detail with extraordinary fidelity but producing pieces that are hollow or filled with base metal and typically lighter than struck coins. Fraser's design is among the most celebrated in American numismatic history. The obverse features a composite portrait of a Native American chief, reportedly modeled from sittings with Iron Tail (Oglala Lakota), Two Moons (Northern Cheyenne), and John Big Tree (Seneca), though the exact models have been debated by scholars. The reverse depicts an American bison standing on a mound, traditionally identified as "Black Diamond," a popular resident of the Central Park Zoo in New York, though Fraser himself gave conflicting accounts. This electrotrial allowed Mint officials and members of the Commission of Fine Arts to evaluate the design's visual impact and fine detail before committing to the expensive process of producing working dies. The piece represents a critical intermediate step between Fraser's original sculptural models and the finished coins that would enter circulation in February 1913, replacing Charles Barber's Liberty Head Nickel after thirty years of service.

Rarity Notes

R-8 (Extremely Rare). Electrotrial specimens are among the rarest forms of pattern coinage, as they were produced individually or in very small numbers for evaluation purposes only.

Cross References

Pollock P-5165