CU-1c-1864-07R (no L) Rim Cud

Description

Seventh reverse rim cud documented for the 1864 Indian Head Cent Bronze No L variety, this major die break adds to the extensive record of die rim failures on this Civil War-era cent. A rim cud forms when a piece of the die rim fractures and separates completely, and the resulting cavity fills with metal during striking to produce a raised featureless mass at the coin's edge where design details would normally appear. Seven documented reverse cuds for a single date and subtype is a substantial count that underscores the demanding production conditions at the Philadelphia Mint during 1864. The "(no L)" designation specifies this is the pre-initial version of the 1864 bronze cent — before designer James B. Longacre's L was added to the ribbon behind the Indian's feathered bonnet later that year. The transition from copper-nickel to bronze composition in 1864 was motivated by the Civil War coin hoarding crisis that had stripped copper-nickel cents from circulation, and the thinner bronze planchets — lighter at 3.11 grams compared to the 4.67 gram copper-nickel predecessors — required different striking pressures that may have introduced new stress patterns on the dies. The concentration of rim cuds on 1864 Indian Head Cents reflects both the high production demands of wartime coinage and the material and operational challenges that accompanied the mid-year composition change.

External References