Proof 2 cent pieces are popular among 19th-century type and copper enthusiasts, who also enjoy collecting business-strike 2 cent coins, which were designed James B. Longacre. Ranging in price from the mid hundreds to the many thousands of dollars, proof 2 cent coinage is considerably scarce and especially sought after in the higher grades. <BR><BR> A typical proof 2 cent is encountered in Brown grade from PF60 to PF64, with higher-grading pieces and Red-Brown or Red specimens coming along much less frequently. Premiums are paid for nice Red Cameo or Red-Brown Cameo proofs or any specimen with especially nice surfaces and few detractions. <BR><BR> The 1864 Small Motto proof is the rarest issue of all in the series, with Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) estimating only five in existence across all grades; even the lower-level proof examples trade in the five figures. Only proof specimens were struck in 1873, and these scarce pieces generally start in the four-figure range. All other dates saw mintages in the hundreds of greater and usually range from $300 to $1,000 for typical specimens.
| coinage-type | Two cent piece |
| desg | PR |
| designer | James B. Longacre |
| diameter | 23 |
| edge | Plain |
| material | 0.95 copper; 0.05 tin & zinc |
| obverse-description | An ornate shield flanked on the left and right by leaves with arrow heads and shanks (crossed behind) appear protruding at the four corners. A ribbon above the shield bears the words IN GOD WE TRUST, making this coin design the first usage this now-ubiquitous motto. The date is positioned at the bottom center. |
| pcgs-link | 3618 |
| pcgs-number | 3618 |
| reverse-description | A large numeral 2 with the word CENTS below (smaller) in the center is framed by a well-defined wheat wreath tied at the bottom center by a simple ribbon. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA appears around the periphery. |
| variety | 1864-1873 |
| weight-grams | 6.22 |
| year-display | 1864-1873 |