1863 Indian Head Cent - RCD-1c-1863-20R Retained Cud

Description

Civil War-era coinage meets dramatic die failure in RCD-1c-1863-20R, a retained cud on the reverse of the 1863 Indian Head Cent. Struck in the copper-nickel composition used from 1860 through 1864, this variety records a die fracture where the broken rim section remained loosely in place rather than falling out — producing a raised area with its design intact, distinct from the plain, design-free plateau of a full cud. The reverse also displays Longacre's Doubling, a design characteristic inherent to James Longacre's original engraving rather than a die error, along with a die crack visible as a thin raised line across the reverse. The 1863 cent was produced during the height of the Civil War, when coin hoarding had become so severe that the Mint could barely keep cents in circulation despite robust production. Copper-nickel planchets are harder than the bronze used in later cents, imposing greater stress on working dies and increasing the likelihood of rim fractures. A retained cud from this period offers collectors both Civil War provenance and an unusual die failure stage. Documented by the Cuds on Coins project as part of the Indian Head Cents 1859-1909 series.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 04/14/2025.

External References