1803 Draped Bust Large Cent S-263 Obverse Cud

Description

Attributed to Sheldon variety S-263, this 1803 Draped Bust large cent features a cud beneath the date on the obverse, accompanied by a rim-to-rim die crack on the reverse running around the word STATES. Early American copper coinage was produced on hand-operated screw presses using relatively soft die steel, making die cracks and cuds considerably more common than on later machine-struck issues. The Large Date, Large Fraction die pairing of 1803 is one of several die marriages cataloged for this year in the Sheldon reference system, which assigns unique numbers to each known obverse-reverse combination. The obverse cud below the date indicates a substantial die fracture at the rim that broke away before striking, leaving a raised featureless area in place of the normal rim and adjacent design. On the reverse, the continuous rim-to-rim crack around STATES reveals advanced die fatigue, suggesting this pairing was near end of life. Sheldon attributions remain the standard for early large cent die varieties. An obverse cud die break is visible on this 1803 Draped Bust large cent (Sheldon S-263). A section of the obverse die along the rim broke away right under the date, creating a raised, featureless area on the struck coin.

Attribution History

• Discovered by NumisDexDealer
• Sheldon S-263