CU-1c-1862-05R Cud

Description

The sheer density of documented reverse die breaks for the 1862 Indian Head Cent makes this date one of the most thoroughly studied in the series for die failure analysis. CU-1c-1862-05R is the fifth reverse cud in the sequence, the "R" suffix confirming this as a reverse die failure. Researchers have cataloged an exceptional concentration of reverse cuds for 1862, a testament to both the high production volume and decades of careful numismatic study. Approximately 28.1 million copper-nickel Indian Head Cents were struck at the Philadelphia Mint during this Civil War year, an output that consumed die pairs at a rate ensuring many would reach their mechanical limits. A reverse cud forms when a section of the reverse die rim fractures under cumulative striking stress, separates from the die body, and leaves a void that fills with metal during subsequent strikes. The raised featureless mass created at the rim is unique in position to each failed die. Collectors pursuing all known 1862 reverse cud positions must rely on published reference images to confirm which specific die produced a given specimen. CU-1c-1862-05R is cataloged in the Cuds on Coins reference system.

External References