CU-1c-1863-05R Cud

Description

Standing at the threshold of a major compositional change, this reverse cud on the 1863 Indian Head Cent represents one of the last die failures in copper-nickel cent production. The "R" suffix denotes a reverse die break. Beginning in 1864, the cent's alloy would shift to bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc), producing the familiar warm brown toning of later issues. CU-1c-1863-05R is the fifth documented reverse cud for the date, reflecting the immense production of approximately 49.8 million pieces at the Philadelphia Mint. The copper-nickel alloy (88% copper, 12% nickel) gave these coins a distinctive pale appearance and different striking characteristics compared to the bronze issues that followed. A reverse cud forms when a portion of the reverse die rim fractures under repeated striking impact and separates, and the cavity fills with metal on subsequent impressions, producing a raised featureless mass along the edge. Attribution among the multiple 1863 reverse cuds demands comparison of each cud's position and shape against published reference images. CU-1c-1863-05R is cataloged in the Cuds on Coins reference system.

External References