1825 Matron Head Coronet Head Cent - CU-1C-1825-01 Cud

Description

Recorded as CU-1C-1825-01, this cud appears on an 1825 Matron Head Cent struck during the middle years of the Coronet Head design's 1816 through 1835 production run. By 1825 the Philadelphia Mint had been producing Matron Head large cents for nearly a decade, yet the accumulated experience with die requirements had not eliminated the rim fractures that produce cuds — testament to the inherent vulnerability of early die steel under the demands of large copper cent production. The break creates a raised, shapeless mass along the rim where a fractured die section left a void that incoming planchet metal filled during striking. Large cents of this era were struck on approximately 28-millimeter copper blanks requiring significant press force, and the dies — manufactured from carbon steel with inconsistent hardening — remained susceptible to fracture throughout their working lives. Mid-run dates like 1825 offer variety collectors a window into routine production challenges of the early Mint, where die failure was an expected cost of operations rather than an exceptional event.

Cross References

• CU-1C-1825-01; none.

External References