1839 Seated Liberty Dime - No Drapery - RCD-10c-1839-01R Retained Cud

Description

Reaching back nearly two centuries, RCD-10c-1839-01R documents a reverse retained cud on the 1839 Seated Liberty dime in the No Drapery variety — one of the earliest configurations of Christian Gobrecht's Seated Liberty design as it appeared on the ten-cent denomination. The "No Drapery" designation refers to the absence of drapery at Liberty's elbow, a design detail that was added later in 1840 to improve the figure's appearance and would remain for the duration of the series through 1891. Philadelphia Mint struck approximately 1.05 million Seated Liberty dimes in 1839. The retained cud indicates a section of the reverse die rim cracked and broke free under the stress of striking but was held in place, producing a raised zone near the rim of struck coins that still carries its design. Unlike a full cud where the broken piece falls out and leaves a plain raised blob, the retained fragment keeps the design in the affected area, though carried at a raised plane or set slightly out of line. Cuds on Coins lists RCD-10c-1839-01R with no cross-references. Collectors should examine the reverse rim under 10-20x magnification with directional lighting to identify the characteristic shelf or plateau marking the retained fracture boundary.

External References