Owner Comments:
1869 10C Postage Currency
Judd-716, Pollock-795
Rarity: high R.6, CAC Endorsed
Struck in Koulz's Alloy (1)
Obverse: The obverse is similar to the regular issue, but without the date in exergue.
Reverse: The reverse has SIL. / NIC. / COP. in larger letters, the date is below, smaller, and slightly curved.
Comment: This second reverse pattern has a reeded edge and was struck in a supposedly unworkable alloy of silver, nickel, and copper: Koulz's alloy. Because of the brittleness of the alloy, examples are invariably seen with chipping and flaking. Here the brittleness is mostly seen at the bottom of the obverse and top of the reverse. Each side is deeply toned.
Provenance/Appearance:
From The Virginia Cabinet, Heritage April 2015 CSNS Chicago/Lot #5984
(1) an article on US Patterns.com -- "A Misnomer Mystery Finally Solved" Copyright By David Cassel , Author of “United States Pattern Postage Currency Coins” reports that Koulz's may have been a simple typographical error and was not the correct name but rather Montchal Ruolz proposed the metal (who was born in Paris in 1809).