1863 Two-Cent

HBCC#:

6047

Breen#:

n/a

BD#:

n/a

Judd#:

312

Pollock#:

377

This pattern issue was prepared to accompany a letter from James Pollock to Salmon P. Chase. Refer to HBCC number 6046 for details. Mint Director Pollock preferred this Shield and Arrows design to the Washington Head obverse. This variety is similar to the finally adopted design, although the motto reads GOD OUR TRUST, and the reverse has CENTS markedly curved. Five basic types of two-cent patterns were produced in 1863. Obverse designs include the Washington Head and the Shield and Arrows design, the latter with GOD OUR TRUST or IN GOD WE TRUST. Two reverse styles were also produced.

Provenance:

Purchased from Julian Leidman, July 28, 1972.

Obverse:

Shield at center, crossed arrows behind, inverted laurel wreath draped over top, ribbon above reads GOD OUR TRUST.

Reverse:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around periphery, wreath within legend, 2 CENTS on two lines within wreath. CENTS is in a slightly curved arrangement.

Commentary:

"Is this J-312 or J-313? No ring? Bronze?" {"Ring" refers to the sonority of the coin, or the hoped-for sustained ringing tone when a piece is balanced on the end of a finger (best protected by a glove) and tapped lightly on the edge with another coin. Most but not all copper and related alloy patterns of this era have a "ring"; German silver and high nickel content pieces do not.}