That mated pair of Proof 1964 Jefferson 5-cent coins that we profiled here in March have sold, realizing $5,170 in one of Heritage’s Central States Numismatic Society convention auctions in suburban Chicago.

Mated pairs of coins — pieces that are struck by the same die pair at the time — are rare. Even rarer is when both coins in a pair remain together to be discovered by a collector. And still rarer yet is when the coins in a mated pair are Proof strikes since they are struck individually and are carefully inspected.

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Here is how Heritage describes the mated pair in its catalog description: 

“Coin #1 is designated as an obverse die cap. Coin #2 is certified as a reverse die cap. Both coins are identically graded. The planchet for Coin #1 was fed first into the press. Its first strike was normal, but it stuck to the obverse die, and served as a surrogate die for a series of newly fed planchets. The force of the strikes, and the presence of two coins within the die chamber, forced the obverse rim to rise and wrap around the top of the obverse die. The reverse of Coin #1 was struck against one or more planchets, thus expanding, distorting, and lowering the relief of the Monticello. Finally, the planchet for Coin #2 was fed in, and it was struck between the reverse die, and the reverse of Coin #1. Coin #1 has a steep, even obverse rim with three narrow splits. Coin #2 has raised rims on both sides, with five narrow splits. The reverse rim of Coin #2 is only moderately raised except for a steep area near 12 o'clock.”

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As we noted in our March coverage before the auction, “A mated pair of Proof 1964 Jefferson 5-cent coins in the same compartment of the pliofilm [package used then] should have stood out in a final inspection of the set before it was inserted into the envelope, and yet this pair escaped detection. However, it is not unknown for even Proof coins with major errors to escape a Mint facility, through both legitimate and illegitmate means.”

The coin should be a welcome addition to the lucky buyer’s collection.