1866 Shield Nickel - Rays - RCD-5C-1866-07 Retained Cud

Description

Documented by the Cuds on Coins attribution service, RCD-5C-1866-07 records a retained rim cud on the 1866 Shield Nickel with Rays, the inaugural nickel issue. The designation follows the standard format: RCD for retained cud, 5C for the five-cent denomination, 1866 for the date, and 07 as the catalog number. James B. Longacre designed the Shield nickel with an obverse displaying a prominent Union shield surmounted by a cross and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, while the 1866-1867 "With Rays" sub-type features a reverse with a large numeral 5 surrounded by stars with rays radiating between them. Retained cuds represent an advanced stage of die deterioration beyond pre-cuds: the die steel near the rim has cracked and a fragment has broken completely free, but the broken piece is held in place by the collar, creating a raised, often irregularly shaped area of displaced metal on struck coins that marks the step between the intact die surface and the loose fragment. Philadelphia produced approximately 14.74 million Shield nickels with rays in 1866, the first year of production in the 75% copper, 25% nickel alloy that was significantly harder than previously used coinage metals. The stress this hard alloy imposed on working dies during striking contributed to die cracking and fragmentation in the denomination's debut year. The "Rays" reverse design compounded the problem, as the opposing high-relief elements on both sides demanded high striking pressures.

Cross References

• RCD-5C-1866-07

External References