1858 Flying Eagle Cent - Small Letters - Flying Eagle Cent (Small Letters) Reverse Rim Cud (9 to 11 o'clock)

Description

Spanning approximately sixty degrees of the reverse rim from the 9 o'clock to 11 o'clock position, this substantial cud on an 1858 Small Letters Flying Eagle Cent documents a major die failure on the Flying Eagle cent. A rim cud represents the loss of part of the die's rim gutter: on the coin it appears as a raised interruption in the design rim that tracks the rim's course. The Flying Eagle Cent, designed by James B. Longacre, was produced for only three years from 1856 through 1858, with the 1856 issue being a pattern coin struck in limited quantities. The 1858 comes in two major varieties distinguished by the size of the obverse lettering — Large Letters and Small Letters — and this cud appears on the Small Letters variety. The reverse wreath design, encircling the denomination "ONE CENT," provided the structural context for the die rim failure. The Philadelphia Mint was the sole production facility during this era, and the copper-nickel alloy used for Flying Eagle Cents was notoriously hard on dies, contributing to accelerated die wear and rim failures. This cud's broad coverage of the rim indicates an advanced stage of die deterioration before the die was finally retired from service.