RCD-2c-1865-02R Retained Cud

Description

The second documented reverse retained cud on the 1865 Two Cent Piece, cataloged by Cuds on Coins as RCD-2c-1865-02R, expands the die failure record for this short-lived denomination to two known reverse rim fractures for the date. Two Cent Pieces were struck exclusively at the Philadelphia Mint throughout their ten-year production span (1864-1873), and die variety documentation for the series is naturally limited by the small number of working dies required for the denomination's relatively modest mintages compared to the cent. The presence of two reverse retained cuds on the 1865 date — the series' second year — indicates that die rim failures were not uncommon even on this lower-volume denomination, and the dies used for Two Cent production experienced the same types of mechanical stress and fracture modes as their higher-volume counterparts. James B. Longacre's wreath reverse, which the retained cud affects, surrounds the denomination in a design that remained essentially unchanged throughout the series' short life. Collectors of obsolete denominations particularly value die break varieties on the Two Cent Piece because the denomination's limited production window means every documented variety is part of a finite and completable catalog — a characteristic that appeals to collectors who prefer denominations where comprehensive variety sets are achievable.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References