1803 Draped Bust Cent - Small Date, Small Fraction - Draped Bust Large Cent S-255 Reverse Cud

Description

This 1803 Draped Bust Large Cent, die pair Sheldon S-255, exhibits a reverse cud near the letters "STA" in "STATES" extending counterclockwise along the rim. A cud forms when a piece of the die breaks away at the rim, leaving a void that produces a raised, featureless area of metal on every coin subsequently struck — planchet metal flows into the cavity, creating a smooth elevated mass that obliterates the design beneath. PCGS lists S-255 under the 1803 Small Date, Small Fraction type, within the system of die combinations cataloged by Dr. William Sheldon for early large cents. Early American copper coinage was struck on hand-operated screw presses at Philadelphia, where the steel dies were prone to cracking under repeated stress. The raised featureless area near "STA" provides an immediately recognizable diagnostic visible without magnification. A piece of the reverse die broke away from the rim just outside of the "STA" in "STATES" and extending some counterclockwise, leaving a raised, featureless area on the struck coin.

Cross References

• Sheldon S-255