CU-5c-1966-04 Cud

Description

Fourth documented cud on the 1966 Jefferson Nickel, CU-5c-1966-04 records yet another retained die break on this mint-mark-free issue, further illustrating the die deterioration that accompanied high-volume nickel production during the 1965-1967 coin shortage era. Where the related CU-5c-1966-03 captures the third cataloged rim fracture, this fourth entry documents a separate break event at a different location along the die rim, producing a distinct raised lump of unstruck metal on the coin's periphery. Four cataloged cuds on a single date represents a notable concentration for Jefferson Nickels, suggesting that the production pressures of the mid-1960s — when the Mint was striking coins around the clock to rebuild depleted inventories — pushed die steel past its fatigue limits with some regularity. Each cud captures a specific moment in a die's working life when accumulated stress from thousands of strikes caused the rim to give way. Collectors assembling a die variety set for 1966 nickels can use these four cataloged cuds to study how fracture patterns distributed around the die circumference under sustained production conditions.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References