1864 Indian Head Cent - Bronze No L - 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. 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 every Indian cent before 1908 was struck at Philadelphia. 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