(1964-65) Quarter Pattern - RB-3200, INCO

Coin Details

Description

Experimental quarter cataloged as RB-3200, the first entry in the RB-32xx sub-group and the penultimate alloy family explored in INCO's 1964-65 clad coinage testing program. The hundred-unit jump from RB-3130 to RB-3200 signals a transition to a compositionally distinct alloy system, consistent with the pattern seen in the jump from RB-3000 to RB-3100. The RB-32xx sub-group represents the final systematic investigation in the Reed-Brenner catalog, with only three documented compositions (RB-3200, RB-3210, and RB-3220) before the entire INCO experimental program concludes. This compact three-entry sub-group may represent a targeted investigation of a specific composition that had emerged as particularly promising from the earlier testing phases, or it explored a novel approach that INCO wanted to evaluate as a late addition to their portfolio of tested alloys. The date range of these pieces — straddling 1964 and 1965 — places them in the final months before and immediate aftermath of the Coinage Act's passage, a period when the pressure to finalize a composition recommendation was at its peak. RB-3200 may thus represent one of the very last experimental compositions struck before the government committed to a specific formulation for mass production.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare experimental issue. Single-digit population estimated. The RB-32xx sub-group is the smallest and the rarest in the entire INCO program.

Cross References

RB-3200 (Reed-Brenner), NGC ID: 61913