1803 Draped Bust Large Cent (Small Date, Large Fraction) S-261 Obverse Pre-Cud

Description

A pre-cud is visible on the obverse of this 1803 Draped Bust Large Cent of the Small Date, Large Fraction variety, attributed to Sheldon die marriage S-261. Pre-cuds occur when die cracks develop along the rim in patterns that, had the die remained in service, would eventually have progressed to a full cud — a raised blank area produced when a section of the die edge breaks away entirely. On this coin, the die crack runs between the 8 and the adjacent rim, marking an early stage of the structural failure. The Draped Bust Large Cent was struck in pure copper at the Philadelphia Mint. The Small Date and Large Fraction designations identify the specific die marriage within the Sheldon numbering system, which catalogues early American large cent die marriages by obverse and reverse die pairings. Sheldon S-261 is one of the documented die marriages for the 1803 date. Cross-reference: Sheldon S-261, 1803 Draped Bust Large Cent, Small Date, Large Fraction.

Attribution History

• Discovered by NumisDexDealer
• Sheldon S-261