RCD-5c-1867-11 Retained Cud

Description

Reaching an eleventh entry in the retained cud catalog, RCD-5c-1867-11 documents another terminal die failure on the 1867 Shield Nickel No Rays sub-type struck at Philadelphia. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety continues the extensive die failure record for the year that saw the Shield Nickel undergo its only significant design modification — removing the rays between reverse stars to improve die longevity. Despite that change, the copper-nickel composition of 75% copper and 25% nickel remained inherently demanding on dies, and eleven retained cuds for 1867 reflects the toll this hard alloy exacted during the denomination's second year of production. A retained cud preserves the visual evidence of a die's final hours: a rim-reaching crack has caused a fragment to fracture and remain lodged, pressing its raised impression into every planchet until retirement. The Shield Nickel's relatively short production span from 1866 to 1883 makes comprehensive die variety documentation for key dates like 1867 especially valuable, as each cataloged failure contributes to a finite record of the denomination's manufacturing history.

Attribution History

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

External References