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1 Cent '1884' Pattern, nickel
| Issuer | United States Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1884 |
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| Currency | Dollar (1785-date) |
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| Obverse description | The obverse features a plain annular field centered on a round central hole, with the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcing along the upper periphery from left to right. The date 1884 is positioned at the bottom of the field below the central aperture. A fine dentilated border runs along the outer rim. The design is entirely typographic, with no effigy or additional devices, reflecting the experimental character of this holed-cent pattern. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
J-1721 is one of several experimental cent patterns produced in the early 1880s as the Mint explored alternatives to the bronze Flying Eagle and Indian Head series. Congress was pressing for coinage reform during this period, and the Mint's pattern program served partly as a lobbying tool — physical arguments for reconsidering metal composition and denomination structure. Nickel as a cent composition had already seen serious use with the Shield and Liberty Head nickels, so the material was not radical, but applying it to the one-cent denomination reopened debates the Mint had considered settled since 1864.