CU-1C-1964D-02 Cud

Description

Listed as CU-1C-1964D-02 in the Cuds on Coins reference, this is the second cataloged cud variety for the 1964-D Lincoln Memorial Cent. Each cud represents a unique die failure event: a section of the die rim broke away during production, leaving a cavity that filled with metal under striking pressure to create a raised, featureless blob on the finished coin. The position, shape, and size of a cud are determined by the specific fracture pattern in the die steel, making every cud variety essentially one-of-a-kind in its geometry. Because the broken die fragment is permanently lost once it separates, a cud is an irreversible failure — the die cannot be repaired and must eventually be removed from service. However, the dies used at the Denver Mint in 1964 were under tremendous production pressure, with the facility working to produce 3,799,071,500 cents in response to the national coin shortage. This urgency may have extended the service life of marginally damaged dies beyond what would have been tolerated under normal production schedules. Cud varieties are actively collected as a specialized sub-field within die variety numismatics, with the Cuds on Coins project maintaining a systematic catalog organized by denomination, date, and mint mark. The appeal lies in the dramatic visual impact of the error — a cud is visible to the unaided eye, unlike many subtle variety types that require magnification — and in the inherent scarcity that results from each cud being traceable to a single failed die. Struck on a 95% copper and 5% tin-zinc planchet weighing 3.11 grams at 19mm diameter.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• CU-1C-1964D-02
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References