CU-1c-1885-02 Cud

Description

Having two documented cud dies from a year with only 11.8 million coins struck raises an interesting question about die quality for this date. Either the die steel used for 1885 production was particularly prone to cracking, or researchers have been thorough in documenting varieties for the Indian Head Cent series at this date. CU-1c-1885-02 is the second documented cud die for 1885, cataloged in the Cuds on Coins reference system following CU-1c-1885-01. Each cud occurs at a unique position along the coin's rim, and collectors pursuing both varieties must compare the location and shape of the raised featureless mass against published reference images to confirm which die produced a given specimen. The 1885 Indian Head Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc). Assembling multiple cud positions from the same lower-mintage date represents a challenging pursuit in die variety collecting, as each piece documents a distinct die failure event. No additional cross-references have been recorded.

External References