PC-1c-1862-04R Pre-Cud

Description

Fourth pre-cud cataloged on the reverse of the 1862 Indian Head cent by the Cuds on Coins attribution service, PC-1c-1862-04R documents an early-stage die rim fracture on James B. Longacre's copper-nickel cent design. The designation follows the standard catalog format: PC for pre-cud, 1c for the one-cent denomination, 1862 for the date, and 04R indicating the fourth pre-cud identified on the reverse of this issue. Pre-cuds represent the precursor stage of die failure before a full retained cud (die break) develops — the die steel has cracked at the rim but the fractured fragment remains attached and in its original position, producing a raised but structurally connected area on the struck coin that preserves the underlying design detail rather than showing the flat, featureless metal of a complete cud. The 1862 Indian Head cent was struck in the copper-nickel composition (88% copper, 12% nickel) used from 1860 through 1864, before the wartime transition to bronze alloy. Philadelphia produced approximately 28.08 million cents in 1862, a Civil War year when heavy production was needed to offset the hoarding of precious metals that drove silver and gold coins from circulation. The existence of four documented reverse pre-cuds from this single date reflects the intensive die usage required to meet wartime production demands, as repeated striking cycles stressed the die rims — particularly the reverse die, which served as the anvil die in the coining press and absorbed the cumulative impact force of each strike. No additional cross-references are noted for this variety. Collectors should examine the reverse rim periphery under 10-15x magnification, looking for a raised area where the die surface shows a hairline crack without the complete separation or design loss characteristic of a full cud break.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References