CU-1C-1836-02 Cud

Description

Second documented cud on the 1836 Modified Matron Head Coronet Head Cent, CU-1C-1836-02 records a major die break on a transitional-year large cent that bridges the earlier Matron Head design and the forthcoming Braided Hair redesign of 1839. The Modified Matron Head series (1835-1839) represents Robert Scott's and later Christian Gobrecht's refinements to the large cent obverse, with subtle but catalogable differences in Liberty's hair treatment, facial features, and star placement distinguishing it from both its predecessor and successor designs. No cross-references to other variety catalogs have been documented for this cud. The 1836 large cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint on copper planchets approximately 27.5mm in diameter, and the substantial planchet size required high striking pressures that subjected die rims to intense mechanical stress — especially during extended production runs where die steel fatigue accumulated with each successive strike. The "02" suffix indicates a second distinct cud position on the 1836 date, establishing that at least two working dies for this year experienced catastrophic rim fractures during their service lives. Pre-Civil War Mint die management practices differed significantly from modern standards: dies were used until they failed or produced unacceptably poor strikes, and the economic pressure to maximize die life meant that dies often remained in press well past the point where modern quality control would have retired them. This extended service amplified the probability of rim fractures, making cuds on early copper cents a relatively well-populated variety category despite the lower absolute mintages compared to later series.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Friscomint1793 on eBay
• CU-1C-1836-02; none.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References