1805 Draped Bust Half Dollar - CU-50c-1805-01R Cud

Description

This 1805 Draped Bust Half Dollar variety dates to an era when the Philadelphia Mint was the nation's sole coining facility and die production was a painstaking hand-engraving craft. The Draped Bust design, engraved by Robert Scot from a portrait traditionally credited to Gilbert Stuart, paired a graceful depiction of Liberty on the obverse with the heraldic eagle reverse — and the "R" suffix on CU-50c-1805-01R confirms this cud formed on the reverse die. Half dollars of this period were struck on screw presses operated by hand, producing far fewer coins per die than modern power presses, yet die failure still occurred. A cud results when a rim section fractures and separates completely, allowing metal to flow into the cavity during striking. Die marriages of the Draped Bust half dollar carry Overton numbers; the coin in the photos is in a PCGS holder attributed Overton 105a, a normal-date 1805. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins as CU-50c-1805-01R on August 25, 2019, this variety connects early American minting with modern die variety scholarship.

Cross References

• CU-50c-1805-01R; none. 08/25/2019.

External References