CU-1c-1874-01R Cud

Description

Cataloged as the first reverse cud for the 1874 Indian Head Cent, this variety illustrates the "R" suffix convention used to distinguish reverse die failures from obverse cuds, which carry no suffix or an "O" designation. CU-1c-1874-01R confirms that the rim fracture occurred on the reverse die — the side bearing the oak wreath and shield design — rather than on the obverse portrait die. The 1874 Indian Head Cent was struck exclusively at the Philadelphia Mint in bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc), with a mintage of approximately 14.2 million pieces during the Reconstruction era. Throughout this period, Philadelphia was the sole facility producing Indian Head Cents; no branch mint would strike the denomination until San Francisco did so briefly in 1908 and 1909. A reverse cud forms when a section of the reverse die rim fractures and separates, and the resulting cavity fills with metal during subsequent strikes, producing a raised featureless mass at the coin's edge. Each cud position is unique to the specific die that failed, and attribution requires comparison against published reference images. CU-1c-1874-01R is cataloged in the Cuds on Coins reference system.

External References