1847 Braided Hair Large Cent Newcomb-3 Reverse Rim Cud

Description

Identified under the Newcomb die variety system as N-3, this 1847 Braided Hair Large Cent exhibits a reverse rim cud with an unusually complex fracture history — the die broke away twice at the 1 o'clock position and a third time outside the letter R in AMERICA. Multiple fracture points on a single die suggest progressive failure rather than a single catastrophic break, with each fracture occurring at a different point during the die's working life. The Newcomb system, established by Howard R. Newcomb in his 1944 catalog of United States copper coins, remains the standard die variety reference for large cents, and N-3 identifies this specific die pairing. The Braided Hair design, created by Christian Gobrecht and produced from 1839 through 1857, was the final large cent design type. A rim cud forms when a section of the die rim fractures and separates, leaving a cavity that fills with metal during striking to produce a raised featureless mass. The three distinct fracture locations on this reverse document progressive deterioration that makes this variety instructive for understanding die failure mechanics in early American coinage. A section of the reverse die along the rim broke away twice around 1 o'clock and a third time just outside of the letter "R" in "AMERICA", leaving a raised, featureless area on the struck coin.

Attribution History

• Discovered by NumisDexDealer
• Newcomb N-3