CU-1C-1946-04R Cud

Description

Fourth documented reverse cud for the 1946 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, CU-1C-1946-04R marks a rim die break on the first post-war cent date after the full restoration of normal production following World War II. Philadelphia produced approximately 991 million cents in 1946, a massive output as pent-up demand for circulating coinage drove production volumes higher. That enormous run consumed a large number of die pairs, and the inevitable accumulation of fatigue damage at the die rim — the thinnest and most vulnerable structural zone — led to multiple documented cud failures for this date. A cud forms through a three-stage process: first, micro-cracks initiate at stress concentration points along the rim; second, continued striking propagates those cracks through the die wall; and finally, a fragment separates entirely, leaving a cavity that fills with metal on every subsequent strike to produce the characteristic raised featureless blob. The "04R" designation in the Cuds on Coins system indicates this is the fourth reverse cud identified for the 1946-P date. The immediate post-war period saw a return to the standard 95% copper, 5% tin-and-zinc composition, and the softer bronze alloy generally resulted in fewer cuds per million coins struck compared to the notoriously destructive 1943 steel planchets. Collectors should examine the reverse rim under magnification and compare any raised areas to the catalog position for this specific variety.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• CU-1C-1946-04R
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References