1964 Quarter Pattern - RB-2545, INCO

Coin Details

Description

Experimental clad quarter in the RB-2545 composition, produced by INCO and Medallic Art Company during the 1964 coinage composition trials. This piece is one of the later entries in the RB-25xx sub-series, a group of sixteen closely related compositions that represent the most intensive phase of INCO's systematic alloy investigation. The International Nickel Company's research program operated on a timeline dictated by political reality: President Johnson wanted legislation on his desk before the 1964 election cycle concluded, and Treasury officials needed definitive test results to support the specific composition recommendations that would be written into the bill. INCO's ability to produce and evaluate dozens of test compositions rapidly — leveraging their existing metallurgical infrastructure and Medallic Art Company's coining expertise — gave them a decisive advantage over competing research programs. The RB-2545 formulation was produced and evaluated within days of its predecessors in the sequence, with results feeding immediately into the composition of subsequent test pieces. This rapid iteration allowed INCO to explore the alloy composition space far more thoroughly than would have been possible with the Mint's own limited research facilities.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Single-digit population estimated. Late-sequence RB-25xx compositions are particularly scarce, as fewer test strikes was produced as the program converged on optimal formulations.

Cross References

RB-2545 (Reed-Brenner), NGC ID: 61897