1964 Quarter Pattern - RB-2560, INCO

Coin Details

Description

Experimental quarter struck by the International Nickel Company in the RB-2560 alloy composition, one of the last three entries in the RB-25xx sub-series of 1964 clad coinage test pieces. Cataloged in the Reed-Brenner system, this piece represents one of the final distinct alloy formulations tested before the RB-2xxx family concluded at RB-2575. The RB-2560 composition was evaluated at a time when INCO was preparing to deliver its definitive recommendations to the Treasury Department, and every remaining test strike served a specific purpose in validating or refining the proposed production formulation. The production of these late-series test pieces at Medallic Art Company occurred under heightened security and urgency, as Treasury officials were drafting the Coinage Act legislation that would need to specify the exact composition to be adopted. The fact that INCO continued to produce new test compositions this late in the program indicates that the engineers were still refining details — optimizing the bonding process parameters, testing the effects of slight compositional variations on die life, or evaluating the performance of candidate compositions struck on high-speed production equipment rather than the slower presses used for earlier test pieces.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Population estimated at 1-5 examples. One of the better-documented RB-25xx compositions due to its NGC certification.

Cross References

RB-2560 (Reed-Brenner), NGC ID: 50014