1964 Quarter Pattern - RB-1020, INCO

Coin Details

Description

Part of the International Nickel Company's 1964 experimental coinage program, this quarter test piece bears the RB-1020 alloy designation. The escalating price of silver in the early 1960s — driven by industrial demand and speculative hoarding — made it clear that continued production of 90% silver dimes and quarters was unsustainable. INCO responded to the Treasury's call for alternatives with an unprecedented metallurgical testing program, producing test strikes in alloy compositions ranging from pure copper-nickel to complex multi-layer clad constructions. The RB-1020 variant represents one step in this systematic evaluation, struck with full Washington quarter design elements to assess how the experimental alloy reproduced fine details under normal coining pressures.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare experimental piece. These INCO test strikes were produced in very limited quantities for technical evaluation and are seldom encountered in the numismatic market.

Cross References

Reed-Brenner RB-1020; NGC census