1974 Cent Pattern - J-2151, Aluminum

Coin Details

Auction Record

No confirmed public auction sale. The known private specimen has been valued at $1-2 million or more.

Description

The 1974 Cent Pattern - J-2151, Aluminum is the aluminum Lincoln cent the Mint struck in anticipation of a change from bronze. Copper prices in late 1973 brought the metal in a cent close to its face value, and the Mint chose an alloy of 96% aluminum; the coins were struck in 1973 with 1974-dated dies (Wikipedia). The Philadelphia Mint struck 1,571,167, and about three dozen went to members of the banking committees of both houses of Congress and to Treasury officials to win support for the change (Wikipedia, CoinWeek). Congress rejected the change after objections from the copper and vending-machine industries and from pediatricians who warned that a swallowed aluminum cent would be hard to see on X-rays, and the Mint recalled and destroyed the coins; about 12 to 14 were never returned (Wikipedia). One is in the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection, and one, the Toven example, has been certified by PCGS at about 0.93 gram and 19 millimeters (CoinWeek). USPatterns.com notes that, although the pattern books list it, it is really a rejected regular issue rather than a pattern. In a 2009 letter the Mint's chief counsel stated that the 1974 aluminum cents were experimental prototypes never issued and remain United States property, and the Secret Service has said it will confiscate any that come to market (CoinWeek, USPatterns.com). NGC lists it as 1974 ALUMINUM J-2151 1C.

Cross References

Judd-2151; Pollock-2084