RCD-1c-1863-09R Retained Cud

Description

Cross-referenced as ICN-1863-34R Ret in the Indian Cent Newsletter catalog, RCD-1c-1863-09R is a retained cud on the 1863 Indian Head Cent documented by Cuds on Coins. This Civil War-era cent was struck at Philadelphia from copper-nickel — 88% copper and 12% nickel — the alloy that defined thin planchet Indian Head Cents from 1860 through 1864. The harder composition imposed greater stress on dies than either its copper predecessors or the bronze successor arriving in 1864. A retained cud forms when a section of the die face cracks to the rim and the broken fragment remains lodged rather than falling free. Each subsequent strike impresses the retained fragment into the planchet, producing a raised irregular mass that partially overlays the normal design. The 1863 date places this variety squarely within the Civil War, when demand for circulating coinage surged even as economic uncertainty caused hoarding. The dual catalog designations reflect the overlapping attribution systems that Indian Head Cent specialists consult.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Cross reference: ICN-1863-34R Ret
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References