RCD-1c-1864-05R Retained Cud

Description

Struck during one of the most significant transitional years in U.S. coinage, this 1864 Indian Head Cent carries a retained cud on the reverse cataloged as RCD-1c-1864-05R — the fifth documented reverse retained cud for the Philadelphia issue. In 1864, the Indian Head Cent composition changed mid-year from copper-nickel to a thinner bronze alloy, and this coin belongs to the "No L" bronze variety — meaning it was struck from an early bronze-composition die before designer James B. Longacre's initial "L" was added to the ribbon on the obverse. A retained cud forms when a section of the die fractures at the rim but the broken fragment remains lodged in the press, producing a flat, raised area on struck coins where the displaced piece obscures the normal design. This variety also exhibits a reverse die crack, providing an additional attribution marker that helps confirm die identity. Bronze Indian Head Cents from 1864 represent the first year of the composition that would endure through the end of the series in 1909, making die varieties from this transitional date historically noteworthy.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis A
• Cross reference: none. 05/17/2021.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References