1955 Lincoln Wheat Cent - RCD-1c-1955-07R Retained Cud

Description

Cataloged as the seventh retained cud for the 1955 Lincoln Wheat Cent reverse, RCD-1c-1955-07R documents another reverse die rim failure from this legendary year in Lincoln Cent variety collecting. While the 1955 Doubled Die Obverse dominates collector consciousness, the date's seven-plus retained cuds reveal that die attrition extended beyond the famous DDO into the broader 1955 production run. The "R" suffix places this fracture on Victor David Brenner's wheat ears reverse — the design that had been in continuous use since 1909 and would serve only three more years before the Lincoln Memorial replaced it in 1959. A retained cud keeps its design because the cracked fragment, though broken free, is held in place in the die, distinguishing it from a full cud where the fragment falls out entirely and leaves a void producing a flat, blank raised lump. Seven retained cuds from a single year indicates consistent die stress across multiple working dies, each developing its own independent rim crack through sustained high-speed production. Struck in bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) at 3.11 grams at the Philadelphia Mint. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins. Inspect the reverse rim for the raised irregular mass where this die's fragment remained lodged during continued striking.

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