1964 Quarter Pattern - RB-2200, INCO

Coin Details

Description

An experimental clad quarter struck by the International Nickel Company as part of the United States Treasury Department's urgent search for a replacement coinage metal in 1964. By the early 1960s, the price of silver had risen to the point where the bullion value of silver coins was approaching their face value, threatening to drive coins out of circulation entirely. Treasury Secretary Douglas Dillon commissioned extensive research into copper-nickel clad alternatives, and INCO — the world's dominant nickel producer — was a natural partner in this effort. Through their contractor Medallic Art Company of New York, INCO produced hundreds of experimental test strikes using Washington Quarter dies, each representing a distinct combination of alloy composition, layer thickness, or bonding technique. Cataloged as RB-2200 in the Reed-Brenner classification system developed by researcher Kevin Flynn, this piece belongs to the second major family of INCO test compositions. The RB-2xxx series explored a different range of copper-nickel alloy ratios than the RB-1xxx group, systematically varying the proportions of copper and nickel in both the core and cladding layers to evaluate wear resistance, color match to existing coinage, electrical conductivity for vending machines, and resistance to counterfeiting. These experimental pieces were never intended for circulation and exist in extremely limited quantities, most having been retained by INCO or distributed to Treasury officials for evaluation purposes.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare experimental issue. Population be in single digits. Most INCO experimental quarters survive in only 1-5 known examples per RB number.

Cross References

RB-2200 (Reed-Brenner), NGC ID: 50342