RIDB-1c-1955-14 Cud

Description

Fourteenth cud documented on a 1955 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cent, RIDB-1c-1955-14 records another instance of catastrophic die rim failure where a section of the die fractured and separated completely, leaving a cavity that filled with metal under striking pressure to produce a raised, featureless blob at the coin's periphery. The 1955 Proof cent was produced exclusively at the Philadelphia Mint, with a proof set mintage of 378,200 — modest by later standards but significant for its era. Each proof cent was struck on a carefully prepared planchet using polished dies, and the intense pressures involved in proof production subjected die rims to stresses that could exceed the steel's structural limits. Fourteen cuds from a single proof date is a substantial count that reflects both the vulnerability of proof dies to rim failure and the meticulous examination that 1955 proof issues have received from collectors and researchers over the decades. The year 1955 holds iconic status in Lincoln Cent collecting, anchored by the legendary 1955 Doubled Die Obverse — one of the most famous and valuable error coins in American numismatics. This fame has drawn disproportionate collector attention to all 1955 Lincoln Cent varieties, resulting in thorough documentation of errors and varieties that might have been overlooked on less celebrated dates. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this fourteenth entry continues expanding the registry of proof die failures from a year whose numismatic significance extends far beyond its most famous variety.

Attribution History

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

External References