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20 Cents '1875' Pattern, nickel
| Issuer | United States Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1875 |
| Type | Coin pattern |
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| Obverse description | Seated allegorical figure of Liberty depicted at a seashore, holding an olive branch in her right hand while her left hand rests upon a globe inscribed with the word LIBERTY. Behind her stand two flags flanking a wheat sheaf, with a steamship visible in the background. The date 1875 appears in the legend, and the overall composition reflects the elaborate allegorical style characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century American pattern coinage. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The 1875 twenty-cent piece entered circulation the same year Congress authorized the denomination, but almost immediately proved a disaster — its similarity in size and feel to the quarter caused widespread public confusion and commercial frustration. By 1878 the coin was abolished, having circulated meaningfully for only two years. The nickel pattern predates the adopted silver version and reflects the Mint's internal debate over composition before silver won out.