RCD-250c(Au)-1854-01R Retained Cud

Description

Exceptionally rare as a die break on a gold coin, this retained cud on an 1854 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle represents one of the most unusual error types in nineteenth-century American numismatics. The Liberty Head Quarter Eagle ($2.50 gold piece), designed by Christian Gobrecht, features a classical Liberty head obverse and eagle reverse. Die breaks on gold coins are far scarcer than on base metal issues because the Mint used gold dies more carefully and replaced them more frequently. The "250c(Au)" in the catalog prefix denotes 250 cents in gold, identifying the $2.50 denomination. The "R" suffix indicates the retained cud appears on the reverse. A retained cud forms when a fractured section of die rim remains partially attached rather than separating completely. RCD-250c(Au)-1854-01R is the first documented retained cud for this date, cataloged in the Cuds on Coins reference system and cross-referenced as 1854-$2-1/2 GOLD-1RA-RET. The 1854 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle was struck at the Philadelphia Mint. This variety was documented by the Cuds on Coins reference.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Heritage Auction
• 1854-$2-1/2 GOLD-1RA-RET
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References