CU-5c-1970D-05 Cud

Description

Among six documented cuds for the 1970-D Jefferson nickel, CU-5c-1970D-05 carries the cross-reference JNC-70D-10 in the Jefferson Nickel Cuds registry, placing it within a well-populated error census for this high-production Denver date. The numeral difference between the Cuds on Coins sequence ("-05") and the JNC reference ("70D-10") reflects the broader scope of the JNC system, which may include cuds from all mint facilities under a unified numbering scheme. Denver's 1970 nickel production of 515.5 million pieces generated enough die pair rotations to produce at least six distinct cud varieties, each recording a separate rim fracture event on a different die. Five documented cuds from Denver alone (not counting any Philadelphia or San Francisco entries) paints a picture of a production environment where the sheer volume of striking created a statistically predictable number of die rim failures -- failures that, while representing a tiny fraction of total output, are significant enough in absolute numbers to populate a meaningful collector census. The late 1960s and early 1970s represent a peak period for Jefferson nickel cud documentation, coinciding with both high Mint output and the growth of organized die variety collecting as a numismatic discipline. Collector organizations dedicated to cataloging die breaks, cuds, and related phenomena were gaining membership and systematizing their attribution standards during this exact period, meaning more discoveries were being formally documented than in previous decades. CU-5c-1970D-05 contributes to this historical record as one of the era's characteristic nickel cuds, preserving evidence of die fatigue in an age of mass production.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• Cross reference number: JNC-70D-10
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References