RCD-5c-1866-03R Retained Cud

Description

Third documented retained cud on the reverse of an 1866 Shield Nickel with Rays, this variety carries particular interest because the retained cud has split into two pieces — an unusual condition noted in the cross-reference description. A retained cud normally preserves the fractured die rim section as a single cracked piece that remains attached to the die, but in this case the retained fragment itself developed a secondary fracture, splitting into two segments. This double fracture creates a more complex visual pattern on the struck coin than a typical retained cud. The 1866 Shield Nickel with Rays was the inaugural year of the denomination and the first year of the Shield design by James B. Longacre. The "with Rays" variety refers to the rays between the stars on the reverse, which were present only in 1866 and early 1867 before being removed because they caused die breakage — making a retained cud on this specific design type particularly fitting, as the very design element that contributed to excessive die stress was eliminated after just one full year of production. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety dates to the Reconstruction era, when the nation was rebuilding after the Civil War and the nickel five-cent piece was replacing the half dime as the standard small-denomination coin. The split retained cud on this historically significant first-year issue makes it a distinctive entry in the die break catalog.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jon Sullivan
• Cross reference: none. This is one retained cud that has split into two pieces.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References