RRDC-1c-1864-01 Bisecting Rim to Rim Die Crack

Description

Documented on the 1864 Indian Head Cent with the "L" on ribbon subtype, this first bisecting rim-to-rim die crack for the date represents a complete structural failure of the die, with a fracture line extending from one rim entirely across the die face to the opposite rim. The 1864 Indian Head Cent occupies a pivotal transitional position in American coinage: it was the year the composition changed from copper-nickel (88% copper, 12% nickel) to bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc), and the "L" on ribbon variety — referring to designer James Barton Longacre's initial on the Indian's headband ribbon — was introduced mid-year. This makes the 1864 L-on-ribbon cent the first year of the bronze Indian Head subtype. Bisecting die cracks form when accumulated striking stress propagates a fracture completely through the die steel, and the resulting fissure fills with metal during each subsequent strike, producing a raised line that spans the entire coin. Dies used during the Civil War era endured heavy production demands as the Mint worked to maintain coin supplies during wartime metal shortages. First cataloged on February 1, 2014 by Cuds on Coins, no independent cross-references have been established for this variety. The combination of a complete bisecting crack on a transitional-year Civil War cent makes this a particularly interesting specimen of die failure on a historically significant coin.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Charlie Doss
• Cross reference: none. 02/01/2014.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References