J-1414 1875 Twenty Cent Pattern PCGS PR64BN CAC - J1414 1875 20C Pattern PCGS PR64BN CAC. This copper 1875 Twenty Cent Pattern piece was struck from regular dies. It is tied for the finest known at PCGS. The coins surfaces are a mixture of light and dark brown with the latter outlining the devices, especially on the obverse. In addition there are shades of yellow, green, gold, and orange. These colors attest to the coins originality. The surfaces are clean for the grade with no notable contact marks. A small toning spot under the A in AMERICA is mentioned for the sake of accuracy. The white scuff marks on the reverse are on the holder not the coin. As expected for a proof coin, the piece is well struck. Full details are present on Libertys head, the centers of the stars, the word LIBERTY, and the eagles feathers, including the top of the wing on the left. The CAC sticker tells us that the coin is of premium quality and fully merits the assigned grade.

The J-1414 pattern was also made in aluminum. These off-metal strikes were probably created as numismatic delicacies made in secrecy. Their existence was not known until years later. There is no doubt that the Mint Director, Henry R. Linderman was one of the recipients of these coins.

The coin was designed by William Barber. It shows Liberty with her head facing left, wearing a Greek chiton as she is seated on a rock. A chiton is a draped garment held on the shoulder by a broach. It has no sleeves and is simply pinned, sewn, or buttoned at the shoulder. In her left hand is a pole bearing a Liberty Cap. Her right hand balances the shield of the United States. Across the shield is a scroll on which the word LIBERTY is seen in raised letters. The reverse shows an eagle with its wings outstretched and its head to the right. An olive branch is in its left talon and three arrows are in the right. Below is the denomination written as TWENTY CENTS.  Above the eagle in an arc is the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Dentils are at the periphery, and the edge of the coin is plain.

It is curious that Barber chose to make the letters of LIBERTY raised. All seated coins of the era except for the Gobrecht silver dollars of 1836 and 1839 use recessed or incuse lettering on the shield.

Barber was renowned for his pattern work and for the production of over forty medals. The dies and prototypes for these works were repeated many times over with slight modifications. One of Barbers most famous works was the Amazonian Seated Liberty quarter. In total, Barbers body of work is considered uninspired and inconsistent. However, he was one of the most prolific and influential pattern designers that had ever been employed by the Mint. He is probably best known for his Britannia inspired Trade Dollar that was made from 1873 to 1878 for circulation in China and other countries of the Far East. In 1878 Trade Dollars were discontinued, although proofs were made until 1885. One of Barbers negatives is that he was one of two Chief Engravers of the Mint not to have designed any major circulating coinage. He was responsible for the twenty-cent piece, but it was minted for only two years. Barber was succeeded at Chief Engraver by his son Charles.

In its population report, PCGS shows 3 1875 twenty-cent J-1414 pattern pieces at the PFBN64 level with none better. At CAC, as of April 2013, there is 1 in PFBN64, the present coin, with 1 better.