1964 Quarter Pattern - RB-2340, INCO

Coin Details

Description

Experimental clad quarter struck in the RB-2340 alloy composition, marking the beginning of the second sub-series within the INCO RB-2xxx experimental program. The jump in catalog numbers from RB-2235 to RB-2340 indicates a significant shift in the metallurgical parameters being explored — this sub-series investigated a different family of cladding compositions or bonding techniques than the earlier RB-22xx group. The International Nickel Company's research program was iterative: results from earlier test strikes informed the design of subsequent compositions, narrowing the search space toward alloys that met all of the Treasury Department's requirements simultaneously. By this point in the testing program, INCO engineers had identified the general region of copper-nickel composition space that produced acceptable results, and the RB-23xx sub-series may represent fine-tuning within that promising region. The Washington Quarter format continued to serve as the standard test vehicle because it was the workhorse denomination of American commerce — produced in larger quantities than any other coin — and any replacement alloy needed to perform well in quarter-dollar dies under production-speed striking conditions. The quarter's reeded edge also provided an important test surface for evaluating how the clad layers appeared at the coin's rim.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare experimental issue. Population be in the single digits. The RB-23xx sub-series compositions are among the scarcest INCO quarters.

Cross References

RB-2340 (Reed-Brenner), NGC ID: 51738