CU-1C-1944S-16 Cud

Description

Sixteenth documented cud for the 1944 San Francisco Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, this rim die break occurred during the first year that the Mint used recycled brass cartridge cases to produce one-cent coins — a composition change from the 1943 steel cents that had proven difficult to distinguish from dimes in circulation. The shell-casing brass gave 1944 cents a slightly warmer golden tone compared to pre-war bronze, and the recycled military metal carried trace elements from its original manufacture that subtly differentiated it from standard Mint alloy. A cud represents the final stage of die rim failure: a crack propagates through the die rim until a section breaks free, and the empty cavity fills with metal during each subsequent strike to produce a raised, featureless blob at the coin's periphery. Sixteen cuds from the 1944-S production run is a notably high count, suggesting that die rim stress remained a significant issue even after the transition from steel planchets. Cross-referenced as CU-1C-1944S-16 and cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety belongs to a period of rapid metallurgical experimentation at the U.S. Mint. San Francisco struck over 282 million cents in 1944, an enormous wartime output that pushed dies through accelerated production schedules.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Mike Antenucci
• CU-1C-1944S-16
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References