1964 Quarter Pattern - RB-2555, INCO

Coin Details

Description

An INCO experimental Washington Quarter designated RB-2555 in the Reed-Brenner classification, one of the penultimate compositions in the RB-25xx sub-series of 1964 clad coinage test strikes. This piece was produced during the final phase of the International Nickel Company's systematic investigation of copper-nickel clad alloys for circulating coinage. The approaching conclusion of the RB-25xx series coincided with the broader convergence of the entire INCO testing program toward a recommended composition. The company's final recommendation to the Treasury Department — a pure copper core bonded with cladding layers of 75% copper and 25% nickel — drew upon the cumulative data from hundreds of test compositions spanning the RB-1xxx, RB-2xxx, and RB-3xxx families. Whether RB-2555 represents a composition close to or distant from the adopted formulation, it contributed to the body of knowledge that validated the ultimate choice. The significance of this decision cannot be overstated: the composition selected through this program has been used to produce billions of dimes and quarters since 1965, making it one of the most consequential materials decisions in industrial history. Every clad quarter jingling in pockets today is a direct descendant of the research program that produced RB-2555 and its siblings.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare experimental piece. Population be in the range of 1-3 known specimens. One of the final compositions tested in the RB-25xx series.

Cross References

RB-2555 (Reed-Brenner), NGC ID: 61899