PC-1c-1942-05 Pre-Cud

Description

Cataloged as PC-1c-1942-05 in the Cuds on Coins reference system, this pre-cud variety documents an early-stage die crack at the rim of a 1942 Lincoln Wheat Cent — a crack that had not yet progressed to the full fracture and breakaway that creates a cud error. Pre-cuds represent a critical intermediate stage in die failure: the working die develops a crack extending from its edge inward, but the fractured segment remains attached, striking coins with a raised line tracing the future fracture path. Had the die remained in service, cumulative pressure would eventually have caused the cracked section to break free, leaving a void that fills with planchet metal during subsequent strikes — producing the raised, featureless blob characteristic of a full cud. The catalog code follows Cuds on Coins format: PC for pre-cud, 1c for the one-cent denomination, 1942 for the year, and 05 as the sequence number. The 1942 date coincides with the early phase of World War II wartime production ramp-up at the Philadelphia Mint, when increased demand for coinage may have pushed dies further into service. Struck in bronze — 95% copper with 5% tin and zinc — at 3.11 grams, bearing Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait and the Wheat Ears reverse.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References