PC-1c-1864-02R Pre-Cud

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the PC-1c-1864-02R is the second reverse pre-cud documented for the 1864 Indian Head Cent Bronze No L sub-type — the variant struck without James B. Longacre's designer initial during the first portion of the year's production. Two documented reverse pre-cuds on the same date and sub-type indicates that multiple working dies developed rim cracks during the Bronze No L production run, providing evidence that rim failure was not isolated to a single defective die but rather a recurring consequence of production conditions at the Philadelphia Mint during 1864. Pre-cuds manifest as raised hairline cracks at the rim that trace the path where a die fragment will eventually separate if the die continues in service — they are the precursors to retained cuds and full cuds in the die failure progression. The 1864 date holds significance as the year the Indian Head Cent transitioned permanently to bronze composition, a lighter and thinner planchet that subjected dies to different stress profiles than the heavier copper-nickel planchets used in preceding years. Die failure data from this transitional year contributes to understanding how the composition change affected die performance across the series.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References