CU-1c-1864-04R (no L) Cud

Description

Fourth reverse cud documented on the 1864 Indian Head Cent in the Bronze No L sub-type, this variety records yet another rim die failure from this pivotal Civil War-era date. The 1864 Bronze No L Indian Head Cent represents the transitional period when the U.S. Mint shifted from the heavier copper-nickel composition (4.67 grams) to the thinner bronze alloy (3.11 grams) partway through the year, and the "no L" designation indicates this specific coin type lacks James B. Longacre's initial L on the ribbon — a feature added later in 1864 production. Four reverse cuds from the Bronze No L sub-type alone suggests that the die steel and striking conditions of 1864 were particularly conducive to rim fractures, or that the production run was extensive enough to consume many dies. Cuds form when accumulated stress from repeated striking causes a section of the die rim to fracture and separate, leaving a cavity that fills with metal to create a raised featureless blob on the coin. The Indian Head Cent series (1859-1909) was designed by Longacre and minted exclusively at Philadelphia, where all working dies were prepared and used. This variety documents die failure during a year that saw fundamental changes in American coinage composition driven by the economic pressures of the Civil War.

External References