CU-5c-1941S-03R Cud

Description

Third documented reverse cud on the 1941 San Francisco Mint Jefferson Nickel, this die break variety records a rim fracture from the early years of the Jefferson Nickel series, only three years after Felix Schlag's design debuted in 1938. The San Francisco Mint struck Jefferson Nickels bearing the S mintmark from 1938 through 1955 (with a gap during the wartime silver alloy years 1942-1945 when P, D, and S mintmarks were placed above Monticello's dome), and 1941 falls just before the United States entered World War II, when nickel composition was still the standard 75% copper and 25% nickel alloy. Three cuds from the reverse die of a single pre-war S-mint date is noteworthy, as San Francisco's lower production volumes compared to Philadelphia meant fewer dies were used and therefore fewer opportunities for die failure. The cud formed when a section of the reverse die rim fractured and separated completely, producing a raised featureless mass on struck coins. Early Jefferson Nickel die varieties are less extensively cataloged than later dates, making pre-war cud documentation particularly valuable for the series' historical record. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins.

External References