RCD-250c(Au)-1850-01R Retained Cud

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the RCD-250c(Au)-1850-01R is a remarkably unusual variety — a retained cud on a gold Quarter Eagle, one of the rarest denominations to exhibit this type of die failure. This variety appears on the reverse of the 1850 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle, part of the long-running Liberty Head series produced from 1840 to 1907. Retained cuds occur when a die breaks at the rim and the fractured section remains in place during striking, creating a raised crack outline on coins while partially preserving the original design detail. Die break varieties on gold coinage are exceedingly scarce compared to their base-metal counterparts for two reasons: gold coin dies were typically retired earlier to maintain striking quality for the premium denomination, and the lower mintages meant fewer opportunities for die failures to develop. The 1850 Quarter Eagle was struck during the California Gold Rush era, when increased gold supply from western mines expanded American gold coinage production. Finding any die break variety on a gold denomination represents a significant numismatic discovery.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Michael Nelson
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References