1952 (S) Lincoln Wheat Cent - RCD-1c-1952S-03R Retained Cud

Description

Unlike a full cud where the fractured die fragment falls out entirely, a retained cud occurs when the broken piece comes loose but is trapped in position, producing a raised area with a visible crack outline and its design still present rather than a smooth, blank blob. RCD-1c-1952S-03R documents the third reverse retained cud on the 1952 San Francisco Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent and carries the additional note that the obverse appears to have been struck through cloth — a separate error where fabric or foreign material interposes between the die and planchet, imparting a textured impression to the coin's surface. Cross-referenced as JCc-52S_73 (cataloged May 11, 2013) by Cuds on Coins, this variety combines two distinct error mechanisms on a single coin, which is relatively uncommon and increases its numismatic interest. The 1952-S Lincoln Cent was the final San Francisco business-strike cent until the mintmark returned on proof issues; San Francisco produced approximately 137 million cents that year. Retained cuds provide metallurgical insight into the failure sequence: because the loose fragment is held in place rather than lost, the coin preserves evidence of the fracture geometry and the degree of movement, information lost once the fragment falls out. The struck-through-cloth component adds a textured, fabric-like pattern to the obverse fields that contrasts sharply with the smooth metal normally produced by direct die contact.

Cross References

• Cross reference number: JCc-52S_73.  05/11/2013.

External References