1816 Matron Head Coronet Head Cent - CU-1C-1816-01 Cud

Description

Cataloged as CU-1C-1816-01, this cud on the 1816 Matron Head Cent comes from the first year of the design; Cuds on Coins notes that the break enters the field, which makes it a cud rather than a rim cud. The Matron Head — also known as the Coronet Head — succeeded the Classic Head in 1816 and continued through 1835, establishing a two-decade run as the standard large cent obverse. These early large cents were struck on copper planchets approximately 28 millimeters in diameter, and the substantial striking force required to impress the design into these oversized blanks placed enormous stress on the dies. Cuds form when a die rim section fractures under repeated striking pressure, and the resulting void fills with metal during subsequent strikes to create a raised, featureless mass on the coin's edge. The screw presses used at the Philadelphia Mint in 1816 could generate uneven pressure across the die face, accelerating fatigue at stress points along the rim where die steel was thinnest.

Cross References

• CU-1C-1816-01; none.

External References