1867 Shield Nickel - No Rays - PC-5c-1867-12 Pre-Cud

Description

Cataloged for the 1867 Shield Nickel without Rays by the Cuds on Coins attribution service, PC-5c-1867-12 documents a die rim fracture on the early nickel five-cent denomination. The "No Rays" designation distinguishes this from the "With Rays" sub-type of 1866 and early 1867 — James B. Longacre's original 1866 reverse design featured prominent rays between the thirteen stars surrounding the large numeral 5, but these rays were removed early in 1867 because the complex reverse design created severe die wear and striking difficulties when paired with the high-relief shield obverse. Philadelphia struck approximately 28.89 million Shield nickels in 1867, the first full year of the simplified reverse design. The rim fractures that produce pre-cuds are driven primarily by the outward force of metal flowing against the collar during striking, a force that depends on planchet composition hardness and striking pressure rather than design complexity. Pre-cuds mark the earliest visible stage of progressive die failure — the steel has cracked at the rim but the fractured piece remains firmly attached, producing only a thin raised line on struck coins that follows the crack path inward from the rim. Collectors examining Shield nickels from 1867 should inspect the rim area under 10-15x magnification for fine raised lines extending from the rim into the adjacent design field.

External References