1942 Cent Pattern - J-2051, Bronze

Coin Details

Auction Record

$190 SP66 12-12-2021 eBay

Description

Judd-2051, Pollock-2241, is a bronze cent pattern that served as the control specimen in the 1942 wartime composition testing program. While bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) had been the standard cent composition since 1864, the War Production Board's determination that copper was essential for military applications — primarily shell casings, cartridge cases, and communication wire — forced the Mint to find an alternative. By striking the existing Lincoln cent design in the standard bronze alongside each experimental composition, the Mint established a baseline for comparison. Every alternative material could be evaluated against this known standard for striking quality, weight, color, durability, and compatibility with existing vending machines and coin-counting equipment. The bronze control pattern is a deceptively simple piece whose importance lies not in what it is, but in the role it played anchoring the largest composition study in Mint history.

Rarity Notes

R-6. Rare. As the baseline control specimen, the bronze pattern was produced in slightly larger numbers than the more exotic experimental compositions.

Cross References

Judd J-2051, Pollock P-2241; 1942 wartime cent composition testing program; standard bronze composition (95% Cu, 5% Sn/Zn)