1961 Bashlow Restrike, Copper-Nickel-Zinc Cent

Coin Details

Auction Record

$10,800 MS62 11-26-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1961 Bashlow Restrike of the Confederate Cent in copper-nickel-zinc represents a deliberate callback to the original composition used by Robert Lovett Jr. for his 1861 Confederate cents. While Lovett’s originals are typically described as copper-nickel, the Bashlow version in copper-nickel-zinc closely approximates that original metallic appearance, giving collectors a piece that most closely resembles how the Confederate cent was originally intended to look and feel. The copper-nickel-zinc alloy produces a silvery-gray appearance with a slightly warmer tone than pure nickel. This composition strikes with excellent detail, capturing the fine lines of Lovett’s Liberty head portrait and the delicate botanical elements of the agricultural wreath reverse. The metal’s hardness ensures that design details remain sharp and well-defined, and pieces in this composition tend to retain their original appearance well over time, resisting the toning and patination that affects copper and bronze examples. Among the many Bashlow metal varieties, the copper-nickel-zinc version holds special significance as the closest approximation to the original Confederate cent composition. Collectors who want to understand what Lovett’s 1861 cents would have looked like in everyday use — had the Confederacy actually circulated them — find this particular Bashlow variety the most authentic representative of the original design concept.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Copper-nickel-zinc restrikes were produced in limited quantities during the 1961 program. The composition’s connection to the original Lovett cent adds to collector interest.

Cross References

NGC #886007