10 Cents Pattern

In 1965, the U.S. Mint was under extraordinary pressure to suppress silver hoarding and stabilize coinage supply during a nationwide coin shortage. Several experimental clad compositions were tested before the final sandwich alloy was settled. Pollock 2081 documents one of these transitional pattern strikes — produced not for commerce but to evaluate planchet behavior, die wear, and vending machine compatibility with the new non-silver stock.

Patterns from this program rarely left government hands through official channels.