1985 Nickel Pattern - J-2182, Martha Washington

Coin Details

Auction Record

$6,463 MS65 04-26-2017 Heritage Auctions

Description

A pattern five-cent piece featuring Martha Washington's portrait, struck in 1985 as part of the ongoing exploration of alternative coin designs at the U.S. Mint. The Martha Washington nickel extends the design study that had previously produced the 1965 dime pattern (J-2101) and the 1982 cent pattern (J-2180), placing the First Lady's portrait on yet another denomination to evaluate its suitability for circulating coinage. By 1985, Thomas Jefferson had appeared on the nickel for over four decades, and periodic proposals to update the design generated experimental pieces like J-2182. The Martha Washington portrait adapts the Gilbert Stuart image to the nickel's 21.2mm diameter, a format slightly larger than the cent but smaller than the dime pattern of 1965. The nickel format presents unique challenges because the copper-nickel composition (75% copper, 25% nickel) strikes differently than the copper-plated zinc of the cent or the clad composition of the dime, and the portrait needed to be evaluated specifically for its appearance on this alloy. J-2182 is part of a remarkable multi-denomination, multi-decade Martha Washington pattern series that stands as one of the most persistent unrealized design concepts in American coinage history.

Rarity Notes

R-7 (Extremely Rare). Martha Washington nickel patterns are very scarce and sought after by pattern collectors and First Lady collectors alike.

Cross References

Judd J-2182, Pollock P-2087. Part of the Martha Washington pattern series spanning 1965-1999.