FrostbyteCoins
Nickel · $0.05
1896 Pattern & Experimental Coins
Key Features
- Judd-1772, mostly aluminum - Related: Judd-1770 (nickel alloy), Judd-1771 (pure nickel) - Tested as a replacement for the 75% copper / 25% nickel alloy - Many show corrosion; none graded above PR64 - Sale: $9,988 for a PR64 (Heritage, November 2014)
Intriguing History
In 1896 the Mint tested other metals to replace the 75-25 copper-nickel mix. The five-cent patterns include Judd-1770, Judd-1771 in pure nickel, and Judd-1772 in aluminum. Aluminum turned out too soft to last in circulation. Hundreds of these later came out of collector William Woodin's estate. In the end, the old 75-25 mix won, and it is still the nickel's recipe today.