CU-25c-1853-01 Cud

Description

Predating the Civil War by nearly a decade, this 1853 Seated Liberty quarter with Arrows and Rays carries a rim cud that documents die failure during one of the most consequential years in American coinage history. Cataloged as CU-25c-1853-01 by Cuds on Coins, it is the sole documented cud variety for this date, and no cross-references exist with other attribution systems. The 1853 Arrows and Rays quarter is itself a historically significant coin: Congress reduced the weight of the quarter dollar that year (from 6.68 grams to 6.22 grams) to prevent silver coins from being melted for their bullion value, and arrows flanking the date plus rays on the reverse were added to distinguish the lighter-weight coins from their predecessors. Philadelphia struck 15.21 million of these quarters, an enormous output for the era, reflecting public demand for circulating silver coinage at the new reduced weight. The Arrows and Rays design was used only in 1853, making it a one-year subtype within the broader Seated Liberty quarter series (1838-1891). A rim cud on a coin of this age and historical significance carries dual appeal for collectors: the die break error itself, and the underlying coin's place in the narrative of American monetary policy reform. Because mid-19th century die steel was less uniform than modern alloys, catastrophic rim failures occurred with some regularity, yet surviving examples with clearly defined cuds remain scarce after 170+ years of attrition.

Attribution History

• Discovered by D
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References