RCD-1c-1858-02 Retained Cud

Description

Sharing the same catalog number as its Large Letters counterpart but documented on the Small Letters variety, this second retained cud for the 1858 Flying Eagle Cent represents a die rim failure on the other major sub-variety of this pivotal transitional cent. The distinction between Large Letters and Small Letters on the 1858 Flying Eagle Cent reverse reflects a mid-production design modification — the Mint adjusted the size of the reverse legend lettering, creating two collectible sub-types that are tracked separately in die variety catalogs. A retained cud forms when a fracture develops in the die rim but the broken section remains attached rather than separating, and the struck coin displays a cracked, raised area preserving partial design detail. The Flying Eagle Cent's two-year production run (1857-1858) makes it one of the shortest regular-issue series in American coinage, and die varieties from either year attract collectors who specialize in this brief but historically important transitional type. The cent represented a revolutionary departure from the large copper cents that had been produced since 1793, introducing a smaller format in copper-nickel composition that would set the template for all subsequent small cents. James Barton Longacre's eagle-in-flight obverse design proved difficult to strike in high relief, contributing to production challenges and die wear that may have accelerated rim failures. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with no known cross-references, this retained cud on the Small Letters variety parallels the Large Letters example and together they document rim failure occurring across both sub-types of the 1858 production.

Attribution History

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

External References