1869 Shield Nickel - RCD-5c-1869-04 Retained Cud

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the RCD-5c-1869-04 is a retained cud variety found on the 1869 Shield Nickel — the fourth year of production for this post-Civil War denomination. Retained cuds occur when a rim die fracture produces a broken section that remains held in position during coining, creating a raised outline of the crack on struck coins while partially preserving the original design within the break zone. The 1869 Shield Nickel was struck exclusively at the Philadelphia Mint, and die varieties from this period document the operating conditions of a mint system still adapting to the nickel alloy five-cent denomination introduced just three years earlier. Examination of the rim area under magnification reveals the raised crack pattern where the loose die fragment was held in place, distinguishing this retained cud from full cuds, where the fragment falls out completely and leaves a smooth raised blob without design.

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