RCD-5c-1882-01 Retained Cud

Description

Extending the retained cud census beyond the Lincoln Cent series, RCD-5c-1882-01 documents this die failure type on an 1882 Shield Nickel — the five-cent piece featuring the prominent Union shield design struck from 1866 through 1883. A retained cud forms when a broken die fragment stays lodged in position rather than separating completely, producing a raised anomaly on struck coins where the fragment contacts the planchet. Notably, catalog records indicate that RCD-5c-1882-01 and RCD-5c-1882-02R appear on the same coin, meaning this single specimen exhibits retained cuds on both sides — an obverse retained cud paired with a reverse retained cud on a single die pair that was simultaneously deteriorating on both faces. Two retained cuds on one coin points to a die pair that had reached a critical stage of failure, yet both dies continued striking with their broken fragments held in place. The 1882 Shield Nickel had a mintage of 11.476 million pieces at Philadelphia. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety is particularly notable for appearing on a pre-20th-century denomination where die break documentation is far less comprehensive than for the Lincoln Cent series.

Attribution History

• Cross reference number: none. RCD-5c-1882-01 & RCD-5c-1882-02R are on the same coin.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References