RCD-1c-1803-01R Retained Cud

Description

Among the earliest dated retained cuds in the Lincoln Cent die variety catalog — though this is actually a Draped Bust Cent, not a Lincoln issue — this 1803 No Stems variety preserves a reverse die rim fracture where the broken piece remained attached during continued striking. A retained cud differs from a full cud in that the fractured rim section stays in place rather than separating: the struck coin shows a cracked, raised area at the rim that retains distorted design detail, rather than the blank featureless mass left when the fragment falls away completely. The "No Stems" designation refers to the wreath variety on the 1803 large cent reverse, distinguishing it from the stemmed wreath version — a design attribution tracked in the Sheldon numbering system for early large cents. Cross-referenced as RCD-1c-1803-01R, the single-digit sequence number reflects the rarity of documented die varieties on Draped Bust large cents compared to later series. The Draped Bust design, featuring Liberty with flowing hair, was struck at the Philadelphia Mint — the only operating mint facility during this era of the early American republic. Large cents of 1803 were struck on substantial copper planchets weighing approximately 10.89 grams at 29mm diameter, and the forces involved in striking these heavy coins could accelerate die rim failure. This variety documents die production challenges in an era when dies were individually hand-engraved and each represented significant labor investment.

Attribution History

• Cross reference: RCD-1c-1803-01R.

External References