1937 Lincoln Wheat Cent - PC-1c-1937-05R Pre-Cud

Description

Fifth reverse pre-cud documented for the 1937 Lincoln wheat cent, PC-1c-1937-05R represents one of multiple instances where working dies for this date developed rim fractures during the course of production. The pre-cud stage captures a die after a crack has run from the rim and back to it — the die steel has fractured, but the enclosed section is still part of the die and has not moved, producing a fine raised crack line on struck coins rather than the dramatic break-away cud that could develop with continued use. The 05R suffix indicates five separate reverse pre-cuds have been cataloged for the 1937 date, a count that reflects both the production volume and the number of dies that experienced rim-area stress failure. Philadelphia struck approximately 309.2 million Lincoln cents in 1937, a Depression-era recovery mintage that required substantial die consumption, while Denver and San Francisco contributed additional production at their respective facilities. Victor David Brenner's wheat ears reverse, with its peripheral ONE CENT and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA inscriptions positioned close to the rim, concentrates striking pressure in the areas most susceptible to die fracturing — the very zones where pre-cuds originate. The 1937 Lincoln cent is perhaps best known in numismatic circles for its Buffalo nickel counterpart bearing the same date (the 1937-D three-legged Buffalo), but the wheat cent production from this year generated its own substantial body of die variety documentation. Collectors can identify a pre-cud by the subtle raised line at the rim — a fine crack running from the rim and back to it, with the design level on both sides — that distinguishes it from the smooth, uniform rim contour of a normal strike. Examination under 5-10x magnification with raking light angled along the rim helps reveal the pre-cud's characteristic raised crack line.

External References