1907 Indian Head Cent - RCD-1c-1907-02 Retained Cud

Description

Documented by the Cuds on Coins reference catalog, RCD-1c-1907-02 is a retained cud on a 1907 Indian Head Cent — a die break where the fractured piece of the die broke free but was held in its socket rather than falling away completely, producing a raised area on the struck coin that carries its design, surrounded by visible crack lines. Unlike a full cud where the die fragment falls out entirely and leaves a smooth blob with no design, a retained cud preserves the underlying design elements within the affected zone because the loose die fragment, held in place, continues to impart its design into the planchet, typically at a slightly raised level. The catalog entry references the Thurman and Margolis Cud Book, which uses IHC (Indian Head Cent) file numbers as the organizing system for this denomination. The Indian Head Cent was designed by James Barton Longacre and struck from 1859 through 1909, with the 1907 issue produced at the Philadelphia Mint — the only operating mint for Indian Head Cent production. Composed of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, each coin weighs 3.11 grams with a diameter of 19 mm. The 1907 date falls near the end of the Indian Head series, just two years before it was replaced by Victor David Brenner's Lincoln Cent in 1909. Retained cuds on Indian Head Cents are particularly prized by error collectors because the series' ornate obverse design — featuring Liberty wearing a Native American feathered headdress — and the wreath reverse provide intricate detail that becomes partially disrupted within the retained break zone, creating a visually compelling contrast between the intact and damaged portions of the design.

External References