1867 Shield Nickel - No Rays - RCD-5c-1867-06 Retained Cud

Description

RCD-5c-1867-06, a retained cud on the 1867 Shield Nickel No Rays variety, records a die failure on one of the earliest five-cent pieces struck in copper-nickel composition. The Shield Nickel's 1867 production marks the first full year of the "No Rays" subtype — the original 1866 design by James B. Longacre featured rays between the stars on the reverse, but these were removed early in 1867 to reduce die breakage and improve the strike. A retained cud forms when a section of the die rim fractures and the broken fragment comes loose but is held in place, striking coins with a raised plateau of metal along the affected edge. The "R" designation confirms the fragment stayed in place rather than separating to create a full cud. Shield Nickels present unique challenges for die variety collectors: the series' relatively short production span (1866-1883) and lower survival rates compared to later nickel designs mean that fewer specimens survive for examination. Attributed by Cuds on Coins, RCD-5c-1867-06 shows that these early copper-nickel dies experienced significant rim stress during production, consistent with the challenges of striking the new alloy that replaced the earlier silver half dime.

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