1863 10C Ten Cents, Judd-328, Pollock-398, Cassel-67, R.8, PR62 PCGS....

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1863 Postage Currency Pattern in Aluminum
Judd-328, PR62
Very Rare Reeded Edge Striking, PR62

1863 10C Ten Cents, Judd-328, Pollock-398, Cassel-67, R.8, PR62 PCGS. 10.9 grains. Standard Postage Currency obverse and reverse. Struck with a high percentage of aluminum with a reeded edge. The actual metallic composition of this piece as determined by SEM-EDX testing by QC Metallurgical on certificate number 60487.62/13189786 is 89.7% aluminum, 7.9% silver, 1.2% iron, and 1.2% silicon. Believed to be one of only two or three reeded edge, aluminum pieces known. Silicon is never found uncombined in nature. It is always combined with other elements, such as iron, copper, or manganese, according to the New Columbia Encyclopedia. While a small amount of silicon helped to harden and preserve the surfaces of this pattern, environmental conditions after a century and a half still has had an even greater influence on this coin's preservation. The other two known examples of 11-grain aluminum patterns with a reeded edge are in lower grades, and no silicon was found in either. This leads to the conclusion that the more silicon present in the aluminum alloy (as well as other base metal coins), the higher the potential grade. On this piece, each side has numerous spots of oxidation which accounts for the grade. These reeded edge, 11-grain aluminum patterns have been tested and found to contain alloys of silver, iron, silicon, and / or lead. The 11-grain, reeded edge aluminum patterns are exceptionally rare, and only three are known. (No 8-grain, reeded edge variety exists.) This aluminum Postage Currency pattern is the finest example known.
Ex: L.S. Ruder Collection (Stack's, 9/1987), lot 982; Doug Hales; Tom O'Mara; The Tom O'Mara Collection of Fractional Currency (Heritage Currency, 5/2005), lot 16148; to David Cassel.
From The David Cassel Collection.

Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 60487, Greysheet# 12522)

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