How would one go about getting a modern Pattern coin from the U.S. Mint?

Cajunpoorguy

I mean, there are early patterns available in rare quantities. Who's ring do you have to kiss to get one today?

2ltdjorn

become a politician

MarkKelley

In answer to your title question, you don't.

PerryHall

Not legally possible.

thefinn

Do they make patterns now?

MsMorrisine

You get one they don’t want you to have and they will take it back

MsMorrisine

Are you seeing recent patterns available and that’s why you asked?

MWallace

Martha Washington pattern coins in several denominations pop up from time to time.

Omegaraptor

Be in very close relations with the mint director, I'd assume.

That's how the 1974-D Aluminum Cent ended up in the hands of a collector IIRC.

BillJones

@thefinn said:
Do they make patterns now?

They must, but most of them never see the light of day.

As the story goes, many 19th century U.S. pattern coins are available today because of a trade William Wooden, who was briefly secretary of the Treasury under Franklin Roosevelt, made a trade with the government. He exchanged two 1877 dated $50 gold patterns for what has been described as a chest full of pattern coins. If that deal had not been made, chances are pattern coins would have been much rarer today.

Wooden wrote one of the first good books on pattern coins with a gentleman named Adams.

ricko

I would agree with the premise indicated above.... One would have to be in high political office, or, have personal connections to ranking individuals within the Mint/Treasury operation. Cheers, RickO

BillJones

Even so, you must remember that such pieces are technically illegal because they have not been officially issued. You could run into the “selective law enforcement” problem.

MsMorrisine

The internal name for them are “nonsense” pieces

jmlanzaf

@MWallace said:
Martha Washington pattern coins in several denominations pop up from time to time.

Aren't those more trial pieces than true patterns? I thought they made the dies to test composition not to test the actual design.

MWallace

@jmlanzaf said:

@MWallace said:
Martha Washington pattern coins in several denominations pop up from time to time.

Aren't those more trial pieces than true patterns? I thought they made the dies to test composition not to test the actual design.

Yes. You are correct.

Zoins

@jmlanzaf said:

@MWallace said:
Martha Washington pattern coins in several denominations pop up from time to time.

Aren't those more trial pieces than true patterns? I thought they made the dies to test composition not to test the actual design.

With computer designs, there's no need to strike test pieces for design any more.

Zoins

@Cajunpoorguy said:
How would one go about getting a modern Pattern coin from the U.S. Mint?

Check the trash

This one from @Byers. I've never even seen a photo of an uncancelled one!

Ref https://uspatterns.stores.yahoo.net/2012testpieces.html

RKKay

@BillJones said:

@thefinn said:
Do they make patterns now?

They must, but most of them never see the light of day.

As the story goes, many 19th century U.S. pattern coins are available today because of a trade William Wooden, who was briefly secretary of the Treasury under Franklin Roosevelt, made a trade with the government. He exchanged two 1877 dated $50 gold patterns for what has been described as a chest full of pattern coins. If that deal had not been made, chances are pattern coins would have been much rarer today.

Wooden wrote one of the first good books on pattern coins with a gentleman named Adams.

Courtesy of NNC, SI.

CaptHenway

The General Motors Roller Press trial pieces are a collectible modern pattern. Though they were struck at a General Motors facility in Warren, Michigan, they were struck on a press that was being developed for the Mint using dies provided to them by the Mint.
Google them.

messydesk

Has there been an actual pattern (not a Martha Washington trial) made or cataloged in the past 20 years?

sparky64

@messydesk said:
Has there been an actual pattern (not a Martha Washington trial) made or cataloged in the past 20 years?

PCGS calls this a Pattern and briefly scanning, it's the most recent I see.
Edit: It's $1

Zoins

@messydesk said:
Has there been an actual pattern (not a Martha Washington trial) made or cataloged in the past 20 years?

I haven't seen one, I think there may be plasters, but not actual coins. I just don't they are necessary any more.

MWallace

@CaptHenway said:
The General Motors Roller Press trial pieces are a collectible modern pattern. Though they were struck at a General Motors facility in Warren, Michigan, they were struck on a press that was being developed for the Mint using dies provided to them by the Mint.
Google them.

Here is one that I found in a dealers junk box about 30 years ago for $5.00.

MarkKelley

I would classify these and the Martha Washington pieces as trials rather than patterns. To me, patterns are coins that are being proposed as regular issue coins. Trials are merely to test dies and equipment.

JBK

Aren't the Cheerios dollars considered patterns?

sparky64

@JBK said:
Aren't the Cheerios dollars considered patterns?

I was just thinking the exact same thing and I'd say yes by odd circumstances.
Because the rev was modified before circulation strikes.

sparky64

@MarkKelley said:
I would classify these and the Martha Washington pieces as trials rather than patterns. To me, patterns are coins that are being proposed as regular issue coins. Trials are merely to test dies and equipment.

I'd wonder why PCGS would disagree and clearly put them in the Pattern category.
It looks like they go through great pains to make a distinction between patterns, various types of trials and spalshers...

I'm sure there is a banned member or two who could contribute on this topic.

Zoins

@sparky64 said:

@MarkKelley said:
I would classify these and the Martha Washington pieces as trials rather than patterns. To me, patterns are coins that are being proposed as regular issue coins. Trials are merely to test dies and equipment.

I'd wonder why PCGS would disagree and clearly put them in the Pattern category.
It looks like they go through great pains to make a distinction between patterns, various types of trials and spalshers...

I'm sure there is a banned member or two who could contribute on this topic.

The narrower definition of pattern that is being discussed here seems to be a specific kind of trial, a design trial.

I think the current category names are a bit hard to understand.

I like to classify these as:

1. Design Trials - aka Regular Pattern
2. Composition & Shape Trials - aka Experimental Pattern
3. Die & Equipment Trials - aka Trials
4. Fantasy Coins - aka Pieces de Caprice
5. Restrikes

Composition trial isn't an exact match for experimental piece since experimental pieces include composition and other innovations like holed coins.

USPatterns.com quotes Taxay who indicates change in composition fall under "experimental patterns" while change in design falls under "regular patterns". A composition change would be a more "radical innovation" than a design change.

Pattern - (The following is quoted and/or paraphrased from a resource that may be absent from your library. “Scott’s Comprehensive Catalogue and Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins, 1971,” prepared and edited for the Scott Publishing Co., by Don Taxay) “The pattern is an essay intended for submission by the Mint Director to a higher authority, generally the Secretary of the Treasury or Congress. It may be struck in the metal intended for adoption, or, for reasons of economy, in a less expensive one. Regular patterns represent a proposed change of design and experimental patterns embody a more radical innovation such as size, shape, edge, or composition. Patterns may be adopted or unadopted. Essays embody a new idea or design proposed for adoption in the regular issue and they are made during the course of regular Mint business. Regular patterns represent a proposed change of design while experimental patterns embody a more radical innovation such as size, shape, edge or composition.” For additional reading, consult Andrew W. Pollock III, “United States Issues and Related Issues,” page 1.

Ref: https://uspatterns.stores.yahoo.net/glossary1.html

Zoins

@MarkKelley said:
I would classify these and the Martha Washington pieces as trials rather than patterns. To me, patterns are coins that are being proposed as regular issue coins. Trials are merely to test dies and equipment.

As you say, Trial is meant to meant to test dies and equipment, but the initial the MW pieces aren't these. They were to test changes in composition. Later MW pieces may have been to test equipment, but I'm not aware of that yet.

Experimental Pattern is the category Taxay uses for composition changes, along with changes in size, shape, or edge.

Here's an article on the MW pieces:

https://www.coinworld.com/news/precious-metals/martha-washington-fascinating-pattern-coin.html

Legend Auctions wrote:
The mint created these Martha Washington dies to test new compositions beginning in 1965 (and they have been used in various other tests since, most notably in 1999 with the change over from the Susan B. Anthony dollar to the Sacagawea dollar).

Zoins

@MWallace said:

@CaptHenway said:
The General Motors Roller Press trial pieces are a collectible modern pattern. Though they were struck at a General Motors facility in Warren, Michigan, they were struck on a press that was being developed for the Mint using dies provided to them by the Mint.
Google them.

Here is one that I found in a dealers junk box about 30 years ago for $5.00.

That's worthy of a You Suck award!

MWallace

@Zoins said:

@MWallace said:

@CaptHenway said:
The General Motors Roller Press trial pieces are a collectible modern pattern. Though they were struck at a General Motors facility in Warren, Michigan, they were struck on a press that was being developed for the Mint using dies provided to them by the Mint.
Google them.

Here is one that I found in a dealers junk box about 30 years ago for $5.00.

That's worthy of a You Suck award!

Is that official?

DrDarryl

Not a finished pattern, but the early stage of design in plaster. This actually sold was on eBay on 05/30/2021 and it's from the Gasparro Estate via the American Numismatic Society purchase.

Wonderful and historical coin plaster made by renowned artist Frank Gasparro (1909-2001) who was the 10th Chief Engraver of the United States Mint, from 1965-1981. Plasters are part of the early stages of designing a coin or medal, and this plaster was originally purchased by the American Numismatic Society from the Gasparro estate. Featuring a relief (positive) scene of the seated Abraham Lincoln (designed by Daniel Chester French) as found within the Lincoln memorial at center flanked by burning torches with stars above and Lincoln's closing line from his 2nd inaugural address ("With malice toward none...") below on obverse; blank reverse. Some environmental damage due to storage, including surface discoloration and some erosion of plaster; otherwise in stable condition. A truly remarkable and important piece of U.S. numismatic history. We do not make any claims as to the grade of this object, please use the photographs provided to judge for yourself.

This item is a duplicate from the American Numismatic Society Collection and is sold with that pedigree. Founded in 1858, the American Numismatic Society is dedicated to the study and public appreciation of coins, currencies, medals, and related objects.

Frank Gasparro's initials "FG" can be seen near the right torch (right of torch below the second waving ribbon).

I'm a fan of the dual touch design by Frank Gasparro.

US Mint Issues: Left to right:
1960 President Eisenhower Appreciation Medal
1961 President Kennedy Inauguration Medal
1962 General MacArthur Congressional Gold Medal (bronze copy)

MWallace

@DrDarryl

Here is a plaster model for a proposed coin in 1986 by Sherl Joseph Winter.