CU-100c(OW)-1849-01R Rim Cud

Description

First documented reverse rim cud on the 1849 Liberty Head Gold Dollar with the Open Wreath reverse, CU-100c(OW)-1849-01R represents one of the most historically significant cud varieties in the entire die break catalog. The 1849 Liberty Head Gold Dollar was the inaugural year of the denomination, authorized by the Act of March 3, 1849, which created both the gold dollar and the double eagle ($20 gold piece) in response to the massive influx of California Gold Rush bullion reaching the East Coast mints. James B. Longacre's Liberty Head design debuted on these coins, and the Open Wreath reverse variant — distinguished from the Close Wreath by the spacing of the laurel wreath — was used early in the production run. Reverse die cracks accompany the rim cud, indicating progressive structural failure in the die beyond the primary rim fracture. Gold coin cuds are inherently rarer than those on base metal denominations because gold coin production volumes were far smaller and the precious metal content motivated more careful quality control at the Mint. The gold dollar's tiny 13mm diameter means that even a small cud occupies a proportionally significant area of the coin's surface. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety combines first-year-of-issue significance, Gold Rush-era historical context, and a dramatic die failure on one of the smallest regular-issue U.S. coins ever produced.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Short
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References