CU-1c-1863-02R Cud

Description

Produced in the final year of copper-nickel Indian Head Cent coinage, this reverse cud belongs to a date that achieved the highest mintage the series had yet seen — approximately 49.8 million pieces. The "R" suffix identifies CU-1c-1863-02R as the second documented reverse die failure for 1863. Five reverse cuds are cataloged for this date, reflecting the enormous die consumption required by such a large production run at the Philadelphia Mint. The year 1863 fell at the height of the Civil War, when coin hoarding had peaked and privately issued Civil War tokens circulated widely as substitutes for vanishing government coinage. The Coinage Act of 1864 would change the cent's composition from copper-nickel to bronze, making 1863 the last of the heavier white-metal issues. A reverse cud forms when a section of the reverse die rim fractures and separates, leaving a void that fills with metal during striking to create a raised featureless mass. Each cud position is unique, and attribution requires comparison against published reference images. CU-1c-1863-02R is cataloged in the Cuds on Coins reference system.

External References