1955 Lincoln Wheat Cent - RCD-1c-1955-14R Retained Cud

Description

Cataloged as the fourteenth retained cud documented on the 1955 Lincoln Wheat Cent, the RCD-1c-1955-14R represents a die failure preserved on one of American numismatics' most storied dates. The 1955 Philadelphia Mint cent is best known for the famous doubled die obverse, but that dramatic error overshadows an active die variety population that includes numerous cud and retained cud specimens — evidence that multiple dies experienced various forms of failure during the year's production run. A retained cud occurs when a fragment of the die rim fractures and comes loose but is held in place, striking coins with a raised area along the break while the design elements within it stay present, though sometimes out of line. The "R" suffix in the catalog designation confirms the broken piece stayed in place rather than separating completely. Attributed by Cuds on Coins, this variety joins at least nineteen other retained cuds documented for the 1955 date, suggesting that the Philadelphia Mint's 1955 cent dies experienced considerable wear and stress during their production life. Wheat Cent collectors familiar with the 1955 DDO often discover the date's cud varieties as they explore the full scope of die failures from this historically significant year.

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