RCD-10c-1833-01R Retained Cud

Description

Sole retained cud documented for the 1833 Capped Bust dime with the "Last 3 High" variety, RCD-10c-1833-01R records a reverse die rim fracture on one of the classic early American silver coin types. The Capped Bust dime, designed by William Kneass based on John Reich's earlier work, was produced from 1828 through 1837 in the reduced-diameter format that standardized the dime at 17.9mm — replacing the larger Capped Bust dimes of 1809-1828. The "Last 3 High" designation refers to the positioning of the final digit 3 in the date 1833, which sits higher than the preceding numerals — a diagnostic that identifies a specific obverse die among the multiple dies used for the date. Philadelphia, as the sole operating United States Mint in 1833, struck approximately 485,000 Capped Bust dimes for the year, a modest production by modern standards but substantial for the era's hand-operated coining presses. A retained cud on a Capped Bust dime is particularly noteworthy because the screw press technology of the 1830s operated at much lower speeds than later steam and electric presses, meaning dies typically survived longer and developed fewer rim fractures. The retained cud designation indicates the die rim cracked but the broken segment stayed attached, producing a flat or raised anomaly on struck coins rather than the blank area of a full cud where the broken piece has separated entirely. The reverse design features an eagle with outstretched wings surrounded by the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the denomination 10 C., elements whose fine detail reveals the location and extent of the rim fracture on affected specimens. Cataloged by the Cuds on Coins service with no known cross-references, this variety stands as the only documented reverse retained cud for the 1833 Last 3 High issue, making it a scarce and historically significant die variety for Capped Bust dime specialists.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References