1865 Indian Head Cent - Plain 5 - CU-1c-1865-04 Rim Cud

Description

Fourth documented rim cud for the 1865 Indian Head Cent with Plain 5 variety, this die variety records the loss of part of the die's rim gutter, which appears on the coin as a raised interruption in the design rim that tracks the rim's course. 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.

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