1863 Washington Two-Cent Pattern – A Different Path for American Coinage

Before the familiar shield two-cent piece reached circulation, a portrait of George Washington offered another possibility. This Intaglio Mint tribute revisits the 1863 pattern known as Judd 305, presenting its presidential portrait and wheat wreath in 2 troy ounces of .999 fine silver. The 39mm round is a modern interpretation of an experimental design, rather than an original pattern coin.

The Story Behind Judd 305

Pattern coins let the Mint explore designs before committing them to regular coinage. The original Judd 305 paired Washington’s right-facing portrait with the words “GOD AND OUR COUNTRY.” Its reverse placed the proposed two-cent denomination inside a wheat wreath. The design belongs to the Civil War period, when the nation’s coinage was undergoing significant change.

The two-cent piece adopted in 1864 instead carried a shield and the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST.” It became the first United States coin to bear that now-familiar phrase. Seen beside that later design, the Washington pattern offers a fascinating glimpse of a choice that was considered but never became the circulating type.

Obverse Design

Washington faces right at the center of the round. “GOD AND OUR COUNTRY” surrounds the portrait, with the date below. The restrained arrangement keeps the profile and historic wording at the heart of the composition.

Reverse Design

“2 OUNCES” sits within a wheat wreath, adapting the denomination area to the tribute’s silver weight. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” follows the outer curve, while “.999 FINE SILVER” and “INTAGLIO MINT” identify the modern issue below.

Specifications

• Weight: 2 troy ounces
• Purity: .999 fine silver
• Diameter: 39mm
• Thickness: approximately 6mm
• Edge: Reeded
• Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated

Explore more designs in our silver round collection.