CU-1c-1865-04 Rim Cud

Description

Fourth documented rim cud for the 1865 Indian Head Cent with Plain 5 variety, this major die break occurred where a piece of the die rim broke away completely, leaving a cavity that filled with metal during striking to produce a raised featureless blob at the edge of the coin. Unlike a retained cud where the broken piece stays attached, a full rim cud represents complete separation of the die fragment, resulting in a smooth raised mass with no design detail. The 1865 Indian Head Cent marks the year of the Civil War's conclusion, when the Union's victory was secured and the nation began the long process of Reconstruction. The Plain 5 designation refers to the style of the numeral 5 in the date, distinguishing it from the earlier Fancy 5 variant used on some 1865 cents — James B. Longacre's Indian Head design used both styles during the transitional period. Philadelphia struck approximately 35.4 million cents in 1865, as wartime coin hoarding began to ease and normal circulation patterns gradually returned. Four documented cuds for this date reflects moderate research depth for an issue over 160 years old. Die rim failures on Indian Head Cents occurred for the same mechanical reasons as on later coins — repeated striking forces concentrate stress at the die rim, eventually causing fractures that propagate until a section separates entirely.

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