RIDB-1c-1968D-02 Retained Interior Die Break

Description

Recorded as RIDB-1c-1968D-02, this second retained interior die break for the 1968-D Lincoln cent documents a separate die from RIDB-1c-1968D-01, each with its own unique fracture geometry and location within the design field. The presence of two cataloged retained interior die breaks for a single date and mint suggests that the production conditions at Denver in 1968 generated sufficient die stress to produce multiple internal failures — a finding consistent with the high output demands placed on the Denver facility as it resumed cent production after the three-year gap imposed by the Coinage Act of 1965. Retained interior die breaks provide collectors with a window into die failure mechanics that cuds alone cannot offer: the retained fragment's position reveals information about the die's internal stress field and fracture propagation direction, while the progression of the break across die states (from a hairline crack to a fully separated fragment) can sometimes be traced through specimens struck at different points in the die's service life. Collectors who locate early die state specimens showing the incipient crack before the fragment has shifted possess the most diagnostic examples for attribution purposes. No additional cross-reference number has been assigned. Attributed by Cuds on Coins. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc at the Denver Mint.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Andrew Wojtowich
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References