How would one go about getting a modern Pattern coin from the U.S. Mint?
Cajunpoorguy
Posts: 45 ✭✭✭
I mean, there are early patterns available in rare quantities. Who's ring do you have to kiss to get one today?
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become a politician
In answer to your title question, you don't.
Not legally possible.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Do they make patterns now?
You get one they don’t want you to have and they will take it back
Are you seeing recent patterns available and that’s why you asked?
Martha Washington pattern coins in several denominations pop up from time to time.
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.
"You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."
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.
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
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.
The internal name for them are “nonsense” pieces
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.
With computer designs, there's no need to strike test pieces for design any more.
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
Courtesy of NNC, SI.
Specializing in 1854 and 1855 large FE patterns
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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.
Has there been an actual pattern (not a Martha Washington trial) made or cataloged in the past 20 years?
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
PCGS calls this a Pattern and briefly scanning, it's the most recent I see.
Edit: It's $1
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
I haven't seen one, I think there may be plasters, but not actual coins. I just don't they are necessary any more.
Here is one that I found in a dealers junk box about 30 years ago for $5.00.
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.
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.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
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.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
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:
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.
Ref: https://uspatterns.stores.yahoo.net/glossary1.html
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
That's worthy of a You Suck award!
Is that official?
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.
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)
@DrDarryl
Here is a plaster model for a proposed coin in 1986 by Sherl Joseph Winter.