RCD-5c-1924-01 Retained Cud

Description

The first retained cud documented for the 1924 Buffalo Nickel, RCD-5c-1924-01 represents a more advanced stage of die failure than a pre-cud: the die has cracked from the rim and the fractured piece has partially separated but remains held in place, producing a raised area on struck coins that shows disrupted design detail rather than the complete featureless blob of a full cud. Retained cuds sit at an intermediate point in the die failure continuum — beyond the hairline crack of a pre-cud but short of the complete breakaway that creates a full cud. James Earle Fraser's iconic Buffalo Nickel design, featuring a composite Native American portrait on the obverse and an American bison on the reverse, was produced from 1913 to 1938 and is celebrated as one of the finest American coin designs. The 1924 Philadelphia Mint issue came during the middle years of the series, with a mintage of 21,620,000 coins. Struck in 75% copper and 25% nickel at 5.0 grams on a 21.2mm planchet. Cataloged by the Cuds on Coins attribution service, the code reads RCD (retained cud), 5c (denomination), 1924 (year), and 01 (first documented example). Look for the raised disrupted area at the rim where the retained die fragment transferred its partial separation onto the coin's surface.

External References