1964 Dime Pattern - RB-2015, INCO

Coin Details

Description

INCO experimental clad dime pattern RB-2015, representing one of the mid-range compositions tested in the dime-denomination series. The International Nickel Company's experimental program did not operate in isolation — it ran in parallel with similar studies by other companies, including the Gould Corporation, which conducted its own extensive series of alloy tests primarily focused on the dollar denomination. The competition between INCO and other suppliers added urgency to the testing program, as each company sought to have its proprietary alloy formula selected for the new national coinage. INCO held a significant competitive advantage: the company controlled the vast majority of the world's nickel supply through its mines in Sudbury, Ontario, and it had already supplied copper-nickel coinage alloys to dozens of foreign governments. This institutional knowledge informed the design of each experimental composition, including RB-2015. The test pieces were evaluated not only at INCO's facilities and at Medallic Art Company but also by Treasury Department metallurgists and by representatives of the vending machine industry, whose equipment would need to accept the new coins without expensive retooling. The stakes were enormous — hundreds of millions of coins would eventually need to be struck in whatever alloy was chosen.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8. Extremely limited production for Treasury evaluation purposes. Specimens that reach the numismatic market are eagerly sought by pattern specialists.

Cross References

RB-2015 (Robinson-Breen catalog). INCO/Medallic Art Company experimental clad coinage program, 1964.