Patterns (1853)
The Mint continued producing a new format of one-cent piece to replace the cumbersome copper “large” cents that had been the standard for many years. To test various metal concepts, an existing quarter eagle die of 1853 was employed in combination with a possibly newly created reverse die, the latter featuring an open wreath enclosing the words ONE CENT, spaced too widely apart with an open space at the center, and obviously made in haste.7 Pieces were struck in various alloys, generally known as “German silver,” this being a term for an alloy of silvery color, with nickel, copper, and other metals, but lacking precious silver. J-149 was struck with a content of 40% nickel, 40% copper, and 20% zinc; J-150 was made of 30% nickel, 60% copper, and 10% zinc; and J-151 was struck in 40% nickel, 60% copper. Apparently, some were made in “60% nickel, the remainder copper.”8 Elemental analysis of the cent patterns of this year suggests that at best the stated metal percentages were approximate.
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