NNP Encyclopedia data is provided in cooperation with Whitman Brands, based on catalog data organized by the Greysheet Identification System (GSID).
Entry Details
PCGS Number: 3620 Coin Date: 2-Cent Piece Denomination (Short): 2c Denomination (Long): 2 Cents Variety: 1864-1873 Desg: PR Composition: 0.95 copper; 0.05 tin & zinc Strike Type: Proof Coinage Type: Two cent piece Coinage Years: 1864-1873 Mint Location: Philadelphia Diameter: 23 Weight (Grams): 6.22 Weight (Ounces): 0.2 Designer: James B. Longacre Edge: Plain Obverse Description: An ornate shield flanked on the left and right by leaves with arrow heads and shanks (crossed behind) appear protruding at the four corners. A ribbon above the shield bears the words IN GOD WE TRUST, making this coin design the first usage this now-ubiquitous motto. The date is positioned at the bottom center. Reverse Description: A large numeral 2 with the word CENTS below (smaller) in the center is framed by a well-defined wheat wreath tied at the bottom center by a simple ribbon. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA appears around the periphery. General Notes:
Proof 2 cent pieces are popular among 19th-century type and copper enthusiasts, who also enjoy collecting business-strike 2 cent coins, which were designed James B. Longacre. Ranging in price from the mid hundreds to the many thousands of dollars, proof 2 cent coinage is considerably scarce and especially sought after in the higher grades.
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A typical proof 2 cent is encountered in Brown grade from PF60 to PF64, with higher-grading pieces and Red-Brown or Red specimens coming along much less frequently. Premiums are paid for nice Red Cameo or Red-Brown Cameo proofs or any specimen with especially nice surfaces and few detractions.
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The 1864 Small Motto proof is the rarest issue of all in the series, with Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) estimating only five in existence across all grades; even the lower-level proof examples trade in the five figures. Only proof specimens were struck in 1873, and these scarce pieces generally start in the four-figure range. All other dates saw mintages in the hundreds of greater and usually range from $300 to $1,000 for typical specimens. PCGS #: 3620
