1964 Lincoln Memorial Cent - RIDB-1c-1964-01 Retained Interior Die Break

Description

Documenting a retained interior die break on a 1964 Philadelphia-minted Lincoln cent, this RIDB-1c-1964-01 represents a distinctive category of die failure that differs fundamentally from both cuds and full interior die breaks. A retained interior die break occurs when a piece of the die fractures away from the interior of the die face — not at the rim, which would make it a cud — but remains held in position rather than falling out of the press entirely, which would create a full interior die break (leaving a featureless raised area on the coin). Because the broken piece stays in place, the design detail is preserved in the affected area, and the piece, usually sunk slightly into the die, strikes up as a raised island bounded by the fracture, with an abrupt step at its edge. On this variety, the die cracks appear on Lincoln's forehead, described as "white arrows" in the reference photographs, outlining the perimeter of the retained die fragment. The forehead location is significant because it represents a relatively flat, unsupported area of the die interior where stress concentrations can develop during repeated high-pressure striking. Cross-referenced with date 04/15/2019 and attributed by Cuds on Coins. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint on a 95% copper, 5% zinc planchet weighing 3.11 grams at 19.05 mm diameter.

Cross References

• Cross reference number: none. 04/15/2019.

External References