1800 Draped Bust Cent - Draped Bust Large Cent S-202 Retained Obverse Cud

Description

Cross-referenced as Sheldon S-202 in the definitive Early American Cents classification system, this 1800 Draped Bust Large Cent displays a retained cud on the obverse — a die break where a fractured piece of the die broke free but was held in place rather than falling out, creating a raised area with visible crack lines that still carries the underlying design. The retained cud extends from the left rim into the portrait of Liberty, a prominent location that makes this variety visually striking even without magnification. Additional die deterioration includes a die crack running to the numeral 1 in the date 1800 and die chips scattered throughout the date area, documenting progressive structural failure across the obverse die face. The Draped Bust Large Cent, designed by Robert Scot after a portrait attributed to Gilbert Stuart, was struck in pure copper at the Philadelphia Mint — the only operating mint facility during the Early Republic period. Each large cent weighs approximately 10.89 grams with a diameter of 29 mm. The 1800 date falls within the Draped Bust series that ran from 1796 to 1807, a period when die production was entirely manual and each working die was individually hand-engraved or hubbed, making every die marriage unique. Sheldon variety numbers for early large cents serve as the primary identification system used by specialists, with S-202 designating this specific obverse-reverse die combination. The retained nature of this cud — as opposed to a full cud where the die fragment falls away completely — provides insight into the die's metallurgical properties and the forces involved in its progressive failure.

Cross References

• Sheldon S-202