RCD-2c-1865-10 Retained Cud

Description

Tenth retained cud documented for the 1865 Two Cent Piece with Fancy 5 date, RCD-2c-1865-10 represents a significant die failure census depth for a denomination that was produced for only ten years. Cross-referenced with a documentation date of December 10, 2018, this variety records one of many die rim fractures experienced during Philadelphia's production of the two-cent piece during its second year of manufacture. Philadelphia struck approximately 13.64 million two-cent pieces in 1865, a substantial output reflecting continued Civil War-era demand for small-denomination copper coinage. The "Fancy 5" designation identifies the specific numeral punch style used for the final digit of the date, distinguished from the "Plain 5" variant by its more ornate serif configuration. James B. Longacre's two-cent piece design — the first American coin to bear IN GOD WE TRUST — features a federal shield with crossed arrows on the obverse and a wreath encircling the denomination on the reverse. The existence of ten documented retained cuds for a single date of this denomination suggests either that collectors have examined the 1865 two-cent piece population with particular thoroughness, or that the denomination's design characteristics (high relief, thick planchet, detailed shield) imposed enough die stress to generate a meaningful frequency of rim failures. Each retained cud records an independent die where the rim fractured completely through its thickness while the broken section remained attached, producing the characteristic raised displacement and crack boundary on struck coins. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins without cross-references, this variety occupies a well-established position in the growing failure census for Civil War-era two-cent pieces.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Ken Peavey
• Cross reference: none. 12/10/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References