RCD-1c-1930-01R Retained Cud

Description

Cross-referenced as LC-30-1R-RET in the broader Lincoln cent die failure catalog, this RCD-1c-1930-01R retained cud documents the first cataloged reverse rim fracture with retained die fragment on the 1930 Philadelphia Lincoln wheat cent. Philadelphia struck approximately 157.4 million cents in 1930, a year when the early effects of the Great Depression were beginning to reduce commercial demand for circulating coinage. Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait obverse — entering its third decade of production — paired with the familiar wheat ears reverse that would continue until the 1959 switch to Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial design. A retained cud forms through a progressive die failure sequence: first, fatigue cracks develop in the die steel near the rim; next, a section of die partially separates along the crack line; finally, the fractured piece remains physically attached to or held in place by the surrounding die body rather than detaching entirely. Coins struck from a die in this condition exhibit a raised, flattened, or slightly distorted area near the rim where the broken die fragment failed to impart the full design impression. The retained nature distinguishes this variety from a full cud, where the broken piece detaches completely and leaves a featureless raised blob of metal on the coin. The cross-reference LC-30-1R-RET connects this Cuds on Coins catalog entry to alternative attribution systems that document the same die failure, providing collectors with multiple avenues for researching the variety. Examination should focus on the reverse rim area under 5-10x magnification, looking for the characteristic raised or depressed shelf-like area that marks where the retained die fragment disrupted normal metal flow during the striking process.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• Cross reference number: LC-30-1R-RET.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References