CU-1C-1798-04R Cud

Description

Fourth reverse cud documented for the 1798 Draped Bust Cent with the 1798/7 overdate, this die break variety provides further evidence of die rim failure during the earliest years of United States Mint operations in Philadelphia. Cross-referenced under CU-1C-1798-04R and cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this cud formed when a rim section of the reverse die fractured and separated, producing a raised featureless area on struck coins. Four reverse cuds for a single Draped Bust Cent date is a notable count that speaks to both the mechanical stresses on early dies and the dedicated research of specialists in early American coinage varieties. The 1798/7 overdate was created by re-engraving a 1797-dated obverse die to read 1798, a cost-saving practice at the early Mint where hand-cut dies represented significant investments of skilled labor and time. Robert Scot's Draped Bust design features Liberty with flowing hair tied by a ribbon on the obverse and a wreath surrounding the denomination on the reverse, all rendered through hand engraving that gives each die pair unique characteristics. The large copper planchets (approximately 29mm) were struck on screw presses by hand, generating less consistent striking pressure than later steam-powered and electrically driven presses. Die steel in the 1790s lacked the advanced metallurgical treatments available to later generations, making rim fractures a more frequent occurrence relative to production volume. Early U.S. die varieties including cuds command strong premiums in the collector market due to their historical significance and inherent scarcity.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Friscomint1793 on eBay
• CU-1C-1798-04R
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References