CU-1c-1863-07R Cud

Description

At a time when government coins were being hoarded out of circulation and privately issued Civil War tokens filled the commercial gap, the Philadelphia Mint continued striking Indian Head Cents by the tens of millions — and this reverse cud documents one of the die failures from that effort. CU-1c-1863-07R is the seventh documented reverse cud for 1863, the "R" suffix identifying it as a reverse die break. The Civil War token phenomenon of 1862-1864 saw thousands of privately produced tokens circulate in place of cents, a direct consequence of coin hoarding that stripped hard money from everyday transactions. The 1863 mintage of approximately 49.8 million in copper-nickel alloy reflects the government's attempt to keep pace with demand. A reverse cud forms when a section of reverse die rim fractures and separates under production stress, and the resulting void fills with metal to create a raised featureless mass at the coin's edge. Each cud occupies a distinct position, and identification requires comparison against published reference images. CU-1c-1863-07R is cataloged in the Cuds on Coins reference system.

External References