1972 (D) Lincoln Memorial Cent - CU-1C-1972D-04 Rim Cud

Description

Specifically designated as a rim cud in the Cuds on Coins catalog, CU-1C-1972D-04 represents the fourth die break variety for the 1972-D Lincoln Memorial cent. The explicit "rim cud" designation — as opposed to simply "cud" — indicates the loss of part of the die's rim gutter, which appears on the coin as a raised interruption in the design rim that tracks the rim's course. The die steel at the rim junction experiences the highest concentration of striking force because it forms the outermost boundary of the die face where metal flow pressure peaks during each impression, making this zone particularly susceptible to the fatigue cracking that initiates cud formation. The Denver Mint's 1972 production intensity — operating at speeds exceeding 600 strikes per minute on high-speed presses — subjected die rims to relentless repetitive loading that inevitably produced the stress fractures responsible for these rim-area failures.

Cross References

• CU-1C-1972D-04

External References