CU-5c-1962D-01 Cud

Description

Documented on September 1, 2013, this first-cataloged cud for the 1962-D Jefferson nickel preserves a rim die break from one of the Denver Mint's production dies during a year when 280.2 million nickels rolled off the presses. CU-5c-1962D-01 carries no cross-references with other attribution systems, standing as an independent entry in the Cuds on Coins database. The early 1960s represent a transitional period in American coinage: the Treasury was grappling with an emerging coin shortage that would lead to the elimination of silver from dimes and quarters in 1965, and production demands at both Philadelphia and Denver were increasing steadily. While nickels retained their traditional 75% copper / 25% nickel composition (unchanged since 1866), the higher output volumes meant more dies in rotation and consequently more opportunities for die failures, including rim fractures that produce cuds. Jefferson nickel rim cuds from the pre-1965 era are generally less common in collector inventories than those from the late 1960s and 1970s, partly because fewer collectors were specifically searching for minor die varieties during the early 1960s and partly because many coins from this period entered circulation and wore down, obscuring subtle cud features. Felix Schlag's original design, winner of a 1938 public competition, was at this point twenty-four years into its run, and the dies were produced using hubbing techniques that would remain fundamentally unchanged for decades. As the sole documented cud for 1962-D, CU-5c-1962D-01 anchors the error census for this date-mintmark combination.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Cross reference: none. 09/01/2013.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References