RCD-10c-1914D-01R Retained Cud

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins on July 29, 2019, the RCD-10c-1914D-01R is a retained cud variety found on the 1914-D Barber Dime — one of the final issues in Charles E. Barber's long-running dime design that served from 1892 through 1916. A retained cud occurs when a section of the die rim fractures but the broken fragment remains partially attached to the die body rather than separating completely. Unlike a full cud where the broken piece falls away and leaves a featureless raised blob on the struck coin, a retained cud produces a distinctive raised area where the fractured die section has shifted slightly from its original position, creating an irregular elevated zone that still shows partial design detail beneath the displacement. Denver struck approximately 11.91 million Barber dimes in 1914, a substantial output for a branch mint during the final years of the series. Barber's dime design features Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap adorned with a laurel wreath on the obverse, with a standard wreath-and-denomination reverse. Die failures on Barber coinage are well documented across all three denominations (dime, quarter, and half dollar), but retained cuds remain comparatively scarce because the specific conditions required — a rim fracture that holds its fragment in place rather than releasing it — occur less frequently than complete cud breaks. No cross-reference numbers from other attribution services have been established for this variety. Collectors should examine the rim area for an irregular raised section that retains partial design detail but shows evidence of displacement, distinguishing the retained cud from simple rim damage or planchet irregularities.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Tanner Scott
• Cross reference number: none. 07/29/2019.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References