CU-1C-1970S-02 Cud

Description

Second in the cuds-on-coins sequence for the 1970-S Lincoln Memorial cent, CU-1C-1970S-02 records another major die break on a Large Date business strike. This second cataloged cud demonstrates that die fractures during the 1970-S production run were not isolated to a single die but occurred across multiple working dies — consistent with the mechanical stresses inherent in high-speed coinage production. The die steel used in working dies, while hardened to withstand repeated striking, remains susceptible to fatigue cracking under the cyclical loading of continuous production. Cracks typically initiate at stress concentration points along the rim, where the die's geometry channels striking forces into localized peaks, and propagate until a fragment separates. CU-1C-1970S-02's specific break geometry — its position along the rim, its angular span, and the depth of its penetration into the design field — distinguishes it from CU-1C-1970S-01 and confirms it originated from a different working die with its own failure history. For die break collectors, sequential cud numbers within a single date provide a measure of that date's die attrition rate and the extent to which fractured dies were allowed to continue striking coins before being pulled from service.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• CU-1C-1970S-02
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References