RCD-2c-1865-10 Retained Cud

Description

Sharing the same catalog designation as the Fancy 5 variant but documented for the 1865 Two Cent Piece with Plain 5, this RCD-2c-1865-10 retained cud records a die rim failure on the alternate date numeral variety produced at Philadelphia during the denomination's second year. The distinction between Fancy 5 and Plain 5 two-cent pieces of 1865 lies in the style of the numeral punch used for the final digit — the Plain 5 features a simpler, less ornamented serif compared to the Fancy 5's more elaborate curved terminal. Cross-referenced with the same documentation date of December 10, 2018 as its Fancy 5 counterpart, this variety was cataloged simultaneously. Philadelphia's 1865 two-cent piece production included both numeral punch styles, and the existence of matching catalog numbers (RCD-2c-1865-10) for both the Fancy 5 and Plain 5 variants indicates that the Cuds on Coins census treats each date variant independently. James B. Longacre's design — featuring the historically significant IN GOD WE TRUST motto on the obverse shield and the wreath-encircled denomination on the reverse — appears on both variants, with only the numeral style distinguishing them. The retained cud formed when the die rim fractured through its complete thickness while the broken section remained mechanically attached, imparting the characteristic raised displacement and crack boundary to struck coins. The tenth position in the retained cud sequence for the Plain 5 variety demonstrates that die failure documentation has reached comparable depth for both 1865 date variants. Collectors pursuing two-cent piece die varieties should note the numeral punch distinction when attributing specimens, as the Fancy 5 and Plain 5 variants maintain separate catalogs despite sharing the same denomination, mint, and year.

Attribution History

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

External References