1803 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. The Large Date, Small Fraction subtype places this coin 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 soft copper dies were prone to cracking under repeated stress. Cuds on Draped Bust cents are prized because low mintages and limited die pairs mean fewer examples survive compared to later series. 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.

Attribution History

• Discovered by NumisDexDealer
• Sheldon S-255