RCD-1c-1863-01R Retained Cud

Description

First reverse retained cud identified for the 1863 Indian Head cent, RCD-1c-1863-01R documents a die rim fracture during one of the highest-mintage years in the early Indian Head series. Philadelphia struck approximately 49.84 million Indian Head cents in 1863, a dramatic increase from prior years driven by the Civil War's disruption of normal commerce and the widespread hoarding of coins that created a severe small-change shortage. James B. Longacre's obverse design — Liberty wearing a feathered headdress — paired with his copper-nickel reverse featuring an oak wreath and shield enclosing ONE CENT. The copper-nickel alloy (88% copper, 12% nickel) used for Indian Head cents from 1860 through 1864 was harder than pure copper and demanded greater striking pressure, which accelerated die wear and increased the likelihood of rim fractures. This variety carries a cross-reference to ICN-1863-2R-RET, linking it to a parallel attribution from the Indian Cent Newsletter or a related publication that independently documented the same die break. Cross-referencing between attribution systems provides valuable confirmation that multiple researchers have examined and verified the variety, increasing confidence in the attribution. A retained cud indicates the die rim fractured but the broken section remained in position, producing a raised or subtly displaced region on the struck coin's rim that differs from the fully separated metal flow of a complete cud. The elevated 1863 mintage, driven by wartime demand for small-denomination coins, required intensive die utilization and contributed to the conditions that produce rim failures. Cataloged by the Cuds on Coins service, this variety documents die behavior during a historically significant period when American coinage production ramped up dramatically to address the monetary disruptions of the Civil War.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• Cross reference number: ICN-1863-2R-RET.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References