PC-1c-1835-01 Pre-Cud

Description

Sharing the same catalog code as its Large 8 counterpart but originating from an entirely different obverse die, this PC-1c-1835-01 pre-cud appears on the 1835 Matron Head Coronet Head Cent in the Small 8, Stars variety. The Small 8 designation refers to a noticeably more compact rendering of the date digit 8, paired with its own distinct star arrangement — evidence that multiple obverse dies were prepared for the 1835 run, each with its own hand-punched date. That both the Large 8 and Small 8 varieties produced cataloged pre-cuds speaks to the demanding conditions under which early Mint dies operated: copper planchets required substantial force to strike up fully, and the screw press mechanism imposed shock loads that promoted rim-area cracking across all active dies. Pre-cuds capture the intermediate stage of die failure, after a fracture has initiated but before metal detaches entirely. Philadelphia Mint, pure copper composition, struck during a period when the large cent remained a workhorse of daily commerce.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Friscomint1793 on ebay
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References