CU-1c-1867-01R Cud

Description

First documented reverse cud for the 1867 Indian Head Cent, this die break formed when a section of the reverse die rim fractured and separated completely during production at the Philadelphia Mint. The Indian Head series, designed by James Barton Longacre and first struck in 1859, had been in production for eight years by 1867, and the post-Civil War era saw the Mint working to restore normal coinage operations after the disruptions of wartime. The 1867 date saw a production of approximately 9.8 million Indian Head Cents, a modest output compared to later years but substantial enough to stress multiple die pairs through extended press runs. When a die rim fracture propagates far enough for a fragment to detach, the resulting cavity fills with metal under striking pressure, creating the raised featureless mass that defines a cud error. The "01R" suffix identifies this as the first reverse cud cataloged for the date, with no known cross-references to other attribution systems. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety represents a tangible artifact of die failure during the Reconstruction era, when the Philadelphia Mint was the primary source of small denomination coinage for a reuniting nation.

External References