1818 Matron Head Coronet Head Cent - RCD-1c-1818-01R Retained Cud

Description

Surviving over two centuries since its production at the Philadelphia Mint, RCD-1c-1818-01R documents a retained cud on the reverse of an 1818 Matron Head Large Cent designed by Robert Scot. These large copper cents, approximately 28mm in diameter, were among the first circulating denominations of the early U.S. Mint and were struck on hand-fed screw presses operating at production rates vastly slower than modern coining equipment. A retained cud forms when a rim-area die fragment fractures completely yet remains held in position during striking, and the "R" suffix confirms the break is on the reverse die. The Matron Head design (also called Coronet Head) was produced from 1816 through 1839, and die failures from this era reflect the metallurgical limitations of early 19th-century die steel and the labor-intensive die-making process of the period. Cataloged and verified by Cuds on Coins.

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