RCD-1c-1875-01R Retained Cud

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the RCD-1c-1875-01R documents a retained cud on the reverse of the 1875 Indian Head Cent — a Reconstruction-era date from the bronze composition period that began in 1864. Retained cuds occur when a die breaks at the rim and the fractured section stays in position during striking, creating a distinctive raised crack outline on coins with partially preserved design detail in the affected area. The "R" suffix identifies this as a reverse die retained cud, appearing on James B. Longacre's oak wreath design rather than on the obverse Indian Head portrait. The 1875 Indian Head Cent was struck exclusively at the Philadelphia Mint during a period of deflation and economic contraction following the Panic of 1873, and mintages during the mid-1870s were lower than both the wartime years and the later high-volume production of the 1890s-1900s. Reverse retained cuds on Indian Head Cents affect the wreath's leaf elements and surrounding rim area, and the severity of the retained cud — from barely visible to dramatically raised — varies based on how far the die fragment separated before being held in check by the surrounding die steel.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Oldworldcoinshop on ebay
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References