1867 Shield Nickel - No Rays - RCD-5c-1867-22 Retained Cud

Description

RCD-5c-1867-22, a retained cud cataloged for the 1867 Shield Nickel without Rays, documents a die failure on one of the earliest dates in United States nickel coinage. The "No Rays" reverse variant was introduced during 1867 production after James B. Longacre's original "With Rays" design proved too difficult to strike — the prominent rays between the stars on the reverse, combined with the hard 75% copper / 25% nickel composition, created opposing high-relief elements that prevented proper metal flow. Removing the rays cut down on severe die cracks and cud breaks but did not eliminate die rim failures. Cross-referenced with a documentation date of October 4, 2018, this variety was cataloged by Cuds on Coins. Philadelphia struck approximately 28.89 million No Rays Shield nickels in 1867, the first substantial production of the simplified reverse type. Each retained cud records an independent die whose rim fractured completely through its thickness, with the broken section held in place after it came free, producing coins bearing the characteristic raised displacement and visible crack boundary. The Shield nickel's geometric design — a large federal shield with horizontal and vertical lines on the obverse, a bold numeral 5 within a circle of stars on the reverse — creates sharply defined rim areas where fractures produce clearly diagnostic features visible under modest magnification.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 10/04/2018.

External References