PC-1c-1848-01R Pre-Cud

Description

First reverse pre-cud cataloged for the 1848 Braided Hair large cent, PC-1c-1848-01R documents the earliest observable stage of die rim failure on one of the final dates of the large cent series. The Braided Hair design, created by Christian Gobrecht and in production from 1839 to 1857, represents the fourth and final obverse type in the large cent lineage — featuring Liberty with braided hair secured by a headband inscribed LIBERTY, surrounded by thirteen stars and the date below. The reverse displays a wreath encircling ONE CENT with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the periphery. Philadelphia struck approximately 6.42 million large cents in 1848, a moderate antebellum output for the denomination. Pre-cuds capture die failure at its inception — a crack has initiated in the die rim but has not yet propagated completely through the die thickness or caused any displacement of the affected rim section. On struck coins, this manifests as a fine raised line along the rim that traces the crack path, without the raised displacement or separated appearance that characterizes retained cuds or full cuds at later failure stages. The large cent's substantial 28mm diameter and relatively thick copper planchet (weighing approximately 10.89 grams) required significant striking force to fully form the design, creating the mechanical conditions under which rim fractures could develop. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with no additional cross-references, this pre-cud provides evidence of die rim stress on a denomination that predates the modern era of die variety documentation by over a century. Collectors examining 1848 Braided Hair large cents should use 10-15x magnification focused on the reverse rim, looking for a fine raised hairline that follows a consistent trajectory around the rim — distinguishing it from random contact marks that would not exhibit the systematic positioning of a die-origin feature.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chris Simpson
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References