CU-1C-1962D-01 Cud
Error
Description
Unlike the fine-scale mintmark and hub doubling varieties that dominate the 1962-D Lincoln Memorial Cent error catalog, CU-1C-1962D-01 records a dramatically different class of die failure: a cud, which is a major die break in which a fragment of the die rim has physically separated from the die face. When a section of die steel fractures and falls away, the corresponding area of the coin receives no design impression, producing instead an irregular, raised blob of metal that extends from the rim inward — a feature visible to the unaided eye and unmistakable once recognized. Cuds originate from metal fatigue deep within the die steel, typically after prolonged use, and they grow progressively larger as more of the surrounding metal fractures away with each successive strike. Because the die rim is the thinnest and most stressed portion of the die, it is the area most vulnerable to this kind of catastrophic failure. The Denver Mint's enormous 1962 cent production — over 1.79 billion pieces — pushed die pairs through long production runs, increasing the likelihood that at least some dies would develop rim fractures severe enough to produce cud errors before being pulled from service. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins as CU-1C-1962D-01, this variety represents the only documented cud for the 1962-D Lincoln cent, making it a scarce find among the billions of coins struck. Collectors should inspect the rim and adjacent design elements for the characteristic raised, featureless mass of metal that distinguishes a true cud from lesser rim die breaks or die chips.
Attribution History
- Discovered by Sullivannumismatics on ebay
- CU-1C-1962D-01
- Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins