RCD-1c-1858-02 Retained Cud

Description

Documented on the 1858 Flying Eagle Cent in the Large Letters variety, this second retained cud represents a die rim failure on one of the shortest-lived and most collected coin types in American numismatics. The Flying Eagle Cent was produced for regular circulation only in 1857 and 1858, making it a two-year type that attracts specialists with its brief production window and distinctive James Barton Longacre design featuring an eagle in flight. The Large Letters variety refers to the size of the reverse legend lettering, distinguishing it from the Small Letters variety also produced in 1858 — a design modification that itself reflects the experimental nature of this transitional cent type. A retained cud forms when a die rim section fractures but remains attached, creating a cracked and raised area on the struck coin that preserves partial design detail rather than the featureless mass of a full cud. Two documented retained cuds on the 1858 Large Letters reflects the limited production volume — far fewer dies were needed for this short-lived type compared to the Indian Head and Lincoln Cent series that followed. The Flying Eagle Cent was struck on copper-nickel planchets at a diameter of 19mm, the same as later small cents, and represented a dramatic reduction from the large copper cents that preceded it. RCD-1c-1858-02 is cataloged by Cuds on Coins with no known cross-references. The transition from large copper cents to small copper-nickel cents was one of the most significant changes in American coinage, and die varieties from this pivotal moment document the mechanical challenges of the new format.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References