1964 Dime Pattern - RB-2030, INCO

Coin Details

Description

Experimental clad dime pattern RB-2030, near the end of the INCO dime composition test series. The higher catalog number within the RB-2000 sequence indicates this piece represents one of the later formulations tested, potentially incorporating refinements indicated by the results observed in earlier compositions. As INCO's metallurgists worked through their experimental matrix, they could adjust variables such as the thickness of the cladding layers relative to the core, the percentage of nickel in the outer layers, and whether trace elements were added to modify the alloy's color, hardness, or electromagnetic properties. RB-2030 thus represents an evolved formulation that incorporated lessons learned from RB-2000 through RB-2015. The International Nickel Company maintained detailed technical records of each composition's performance characteristics, creating a comprehensive dataset that informed the Treasury's ultimate decision. The alloy finally selected for production — a pure copper core bonded between outer layers of 75% copper and 25% nickel — emerged from precisely this kind of iterative testing process. Each RB-numbered piece in the series preserves a specific moment in that optimization journey, making them historically significant artifacts of one of the most consequential changes in American coinage history.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8. Surviving examples are rare institutional pieces. The higher RB numbers may exist in even smaller quantities if the experimental program narrowed its focus as testing progressed.

Cross References

RB-2030 (Robinson-Breen catalog). INCO/Medallic Art Company experimental clad coinage program, 1964.