RIDB-1c-1952S-01 Retained Interior Die Break

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the RIDB-1c-1952S-01 documents a retained interior die break on the 1952 San Francisco Lincoln Wheat Cent. Unlike rim cuds that originate at the coin's edge, retained interior die breaks occur when a section of the die fractures internally — within the design area — and the broken fragment remains in place, transferring a raised outline of the fracture to struck coins while preserving partial design detail within the break zone. The 1952-S represents one of the later San Francisco Mint issues in the Wheat Cent series, which would end just six years later in 1958 with the transition to the Lincoln Memorial Reverse. Victor David Brenner's wheat ears reverse and Lincoln portrait obverse provide detailed design surfaces where interior die breaks can produce particularly interesting visual results, as the raised crack pattern interacts with familiar design elements. Interior die breaks in the Lincoln Wheat Cent series attract collectors who study the mechanics of die failure beyond the more common rim-based cuds.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References