CU-1c-1863-09 Cud

Description

Cataloged as the ninth documented cud die for the 1863 date, this variety belongs to the final year of copper-nickel Indian Head Cent production. The Coinage Act of 1864 would change the composition to bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc), so 1863 represents the last of the heavier copper-nickel issues. At the height of the Civil War, government coins had virtually vanished from circulation as the public hoarded them, and privately issued Civil War tokens were filling the void in everyday commerce. Despite this disruption, the Philadelphia Mint produced approximately 49.8 million Indian Head Cents in 1863, the highest mintage the series had yet achieved. CU-1c-1863-09 is cataloged in the Cuds on Coins reference system. A cud forms when a section of the die rim fractures and falls away, and the resulting cavity fills with metal during striking, producing a raised featureless mass at the coin's edge. The high sequence number reflects extensive die break documentation for this prolific production year. No additional cross-references have been recorded.

External References