CU-1c-1863-06 Rim Cud & 01 Cuds

Description

Preserving rim cuds at two distinct clock positions — position 06 and position 01 — this 1863 Indian Head Cent documents a die that suffered progressive marginal die breaks at multiple points along its circumference. Dual-position cuds indicate significant structural deterioration of the die steel, as each cud represents a separate fragment of the die rim that fractured and broke away, leaving a raised blob of unstruck metal on the resulting coins. The 1863 Indian Head Cent was struck in the copper-nickel composition used from 1860 through 1864, before the Mint transitioned to bronze in 1864 to reduce costs during the Civil War. Copper-nickel planchets are harder than bronze, placing greater stress on dies during striking and potentially accelerating die failure — a factor that may have contributed to the multiple rim fractures visible on this specimen. Indian Head Cents from the Civil War era circulated heavily, and surviving cud varieties from this period are scarce in higher grades. The presence of breaks at both the 06 and 01 positions suggests this die was kept in service well past the point where a single fracture had already compromised its rim integrity.

External References