1867 Shield Nickel - No Rays - RCD-5c-1867-20 Retained Cud

Description

RCD-5c-1867-20, a retained cud on the 1867 Shield Nickel without Rays, shows that removing the rays did not end the die failure problem. The Shield Nickel was only in its second year as the United States' first base-metal five-cent piece, and the Mint was still learning to manage die life with this unfamiliar alloy after centuries of striking precious metals. James B. Longacre's design served from 1866 through 1883, when Charles Barber's Liberty Head Nickel replaced it. A retained cud marks the rim as a vulnerable zone, where thin die edges meet the striking force, and each die fractured in its own location and angle. Struck at 5.0 grams at Philadelphia, the 1867 No Rays mintage of approximately 28.9 million generated enormous die consumption. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins. Examine the rim for this retained fracture, comparing its profile against the attribution images.

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