RCD-1c-1887-05R Retained Cud

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the RCD-1c-1887-05R is the fifth documented reverse retained cud for the 1887 Indian Head Cent — a count that demonstrates how frequently dies for this high-mintage date developed rim failures. Retained cuds advance beyond the pre-cud stage, with the die having fully fractured at the rim while the broken section stays in place, creating raised crack outlines on struck coins. The 1887 Indian Head Cent was produced in a mintage of approximately 45.2 million pieces at the Philadelphia Mint, one of the higher production figures in the series, and the large number of retained cuds documented for this date correlates with the extensive die usage required for such volume. The "05R" designation identifies this as the fifth reverse retained cud, appearing on James B. Longacre's wreath design. Multiple retained cuds from the same date but different dies provide numismatic researchers with comparative data on die failure patterns — how cracks initiated, propagated, and arrested across different dies working under similar production conditions and striking pressures during the same year.

Attribution History

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

External References