1798 Draped Bust Cent - 1798/7 Overdate - CU-1C-1798-07 Cud

Description

Pure copper planchets presented challenges for die longevity in early American coinage, and this cud on a 1798 Draped Bust Cent reflects the interaction between soft metal and hardened steel under striking pressure. Copper's malleability meant planchets flowed readily into die cavities during striking, but the force required to fully impress the design into large-diameter cent planchets placed enormous stress on the die rim — the thinnest and most vulnerable portion of the die face. Over repeated strikes, micro-fractures accumulated at the rim's edge, eventually producing the complete rim separation that defines a cud. Early American copper cents, known collectively as "large cents" for their substantial diameter, are avidly collected by specialists who prize die varieties as windows into the Mint's earliest production methods. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins.

Cross References

• CU-1C-1798-07

External References