Click to enlargeJ645/P717

This pattern combines the 1863 postage currency obverse with the 1868 dated reverse used on J641/P713.



Examples are known in the following compositions: To see images of virtually all of these, click here.

Nickel J644/P716 with about half a dozen known including:

1) Reed–Durham Museum

2) RARCOA 1/73, Sieck-B/R 8/81 ANA, Simpson-Heritage 2/21 – PCGS66

3) Garrett-JHU-Stack 3/76, Paramount Auction 82, Ivy 8/83, M. Freidberg-CAA 1/97, Cassel-Heritage 8/15, Heritage 1/20 – PCGS64 with a mark below N in ONE

4) B/R RCR #16 1972 and #17 1973, Heritage 6/14 – NGC66, identifiable by a spot in the D in DIME

5) Kreisberg 11/70, Bass-B/M 5/99, B/M 5/2001 – PCGS65, with a ping below the A in EXCHANGED

6) Ivy 8/80 ANA – described as proof 60 softly struck is unidentified today.

Copper J645/P717 with the following 4 confirmed:

1) Simpson-Heritage 8/21 – PCGS66BN

2) Farouk (1 of 2 he owned), RARCOA 173, Schorer 5/31/73, Bass-B/M 5/99, Cassel-Heritage 8/15, StacksBowers 5/19 – PCGS67BN, shows rotational double striking on reverse, illustrated above, click on thumbnail to enlarge.

3) Garrett-JHU, B/R 3/80, Heritage 2/03, Cassel-Heritage 8/15 – PCGS64RB

4) a specimen graded PCGS62BN on CoinFacts, probably the second Farouk coin

2 of these are ex Brand - journal #15778 (Stevens 6/24/1896) and journal #44094 (Elder's 6/15/1908 Gschwend sale lot 219).

Aluminum J646/P718 which is actually the most common of these with at least 8 or 9 known including 2 in the Smithsonian and virtually all of them show some corrosion. Only the example in the Heritage's 12/3/1993 Bullet sale, lot 863 was described as having no trace of corrosion. The 2 examples that were owned by Dave Cassel and sold in Heritage's 8/2015 sale had significant amounts of silver in the alloy.

Note: The listing of this in silver J643/P715 has been discredited by the research of David Cassel.

Photo courtesy of David Cassel is of the former Harry Bass Foundation coin.

David Cassel's book on Postage Currency Patterns is now available. For more on this, click
here.