RCD-1c-1902-02R Retained Cud

Description

Second documented retained cud on the reverse of a 1902 Indian Head Cent, RCD-1c-1902-02R preserves evidence of a die rim fracture where the broken section remained attached during continued striking rather than separating completely. In a retained cud, the fractured rim piece stays in position within the die, producing a raised and distorted area on struck coins that retains partial design detail — unlike a full cud where the separated fragment leaves a cavity that fills with featureless metal during striking. The "R" suffix identifies the reverse die as the location of the fracture. The existing description references "TC-415181 Copper, Reversed 1 Island Creek Coal Co." — a catalog cross-reference that may relate to die identification or the specific coin's provenance within a published reference. The Indian Head Cent series, designed by James B. Longacre and struck from 1859 through 1909, featured a wreath reverse where the rim area was particularly susceptible to fracturing under the repeated stress of striking. The 1902 date falls in the mature period of the series when production quantities were substantial and bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) was standard. No external cross-references beyond the Cuds on Coins catalog notation have been established for this variety. Retained cuds on Indian Head Cents are valued by collectors who appreciate the visual evidence of die deterioration in a series that predates the modern era of die variety documentation, and each surviving example preserves a snapshot of the die's condition at a specific point in its working life.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References