1964 Quarter Pattern - RB-1015, INCO

Coin Details

Description

This INCO experimental quarter features the RB-1015 alloy composition, one of dozens of copper-nickel formulations tested on Washington quarter planchets during the 1964 silver crisis. The International Nickel Company, then the world's largest nickel producer, had a commercial interest in developing a nickel-based replacement for silver coinage, making it a natural partner for the Treasury Department's urgent search for alternative coinage metals. The RB-1015 composition continued the systematic exploration of the copper-nickel alloy space, with each successive catalog number representing controlled variations in metallurgical parameters. These test strikes allowed Mint officials to evaluate how each alloy performed under actual coining press conditions, including metal flow into design details, edge reeding definition, and surface finish quality.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Experimental INCO test pieces typically survive in quantities of one to five examples per alloy composition, though exact population data for individual Reed-Brenner numbers remains incomplete.

Cross References

Reed-Brenner RB-1015; NGC census