CU-1c-1887-03R Cud

Description

Third documented reverse cud on the 1887 Indian Head Cent, CU-1c-1887-03R records a major die break at the coin's rim where a fragment of the reverse die separated completely, leaving a cavity that filled with metal during striking to produce the characteristic raised featureless blob that defines a cud error. The Indian Head Cent, designed by James Barton Longacre and struck from 1859 through 1909, featured a bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) from 1864 onward, and the forces required to strike this alloy at the Philadelphia Mint's coin presses placed significant stress on die rims over extended production runs. The "R" suffix confirms the cud appeared on the reverse die — the wreath side of the coin — rather than the obverse bearing Liberty in a Native American headdress. Three cuds documented for a single date in the Indian Head series represents meaningful die failure data from an era when production volumes were moderate compared to twentieth-century standards. The 1887 had a mintage of approximately 45.2 million pieces, all struck at Philadelphia, and each die pair in service experienced progressive rim stress that could culminate in the catastrophic fracture responsible for cud formation. Unlike retained cuds where the broken piece stays partially attached, a full cud indicates complete separation of the rim fragment, creating the blank raised area that makes cuds among the most visually dramatic die varieties. Indian Head Cent cuds are collected as a specialty within the broader die break field, and the 1887 date with three documented reverse examples provides material for collectors building date-specific cud inventories.

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