1942 Cent Pattern - J-2056, White Metal

Coin Details

Description

Judd-2056, Pollock-2246, is a white metal cent pattern from the 1942 wartime testing program. White metal is a general term for tin-lead alloys, which produce coins with a bright silvery appearance similar to pewter. White metal had a long history in numismatics — it had been used for pattern strikings, medals, and tokens since the colonial era — but it had never been considered for regular circulating United States coinage. As a cent substitute, white metal offered easy striking and attractive initial appearance, but its softness meant rapid wear in circulation, and the lead content raised potential health concerns for a coin that would be handled millions of times daily. The tin component was also a strategic material, though less critical than copper. This business-strike white metal pattern exists alongside a separate proof striking (J-2056 proof), providing comparison between the two manufacturing methods applied to the same experimental composition.

Rarity Notes

R-6. Rare. White metal patterns from the wartime program survive in modest numbers, aided by the alloy's resistance to corrosion.

Cross References

Judd J-2056, Pollock P-2246; 1942 wartime cent composition testing program; white metal (tin-lead alloy); cf. proof striking