SD-10c-1972D-01 Split Die

Description

First split die variety documented for the 1972-D Roosevelt dime, SD-10c-1972D-01 records an advanced die deterioration event where a major crack propagated across the die face at the Denver Mint. The designation follows Cuds on Coins conventions: SD for split die, 10c for the dime denomination, 1972D for the Denver date, and 01 indicating the first and only documented split die for this issue. Denver struck approximately 330.3 million Roosevelt dimes in 1972, using the copper-nickel clad composition adopted in 1965 to replace the original 90% silver alloy. John R. Sinnock's Roosevelt dime design, in its twenty-sixth year of production by 1972, pairs the Roosevelt portrait obverse with the torch, olive branch, and oak branch reverse. Split dies represent one of the most dramatic forms of die deterioration — a major crack bisects or substantially divides the die face, creating a prominent raised line across the struck coin that can traverse the entire design field. Unlike cuds that originate at the rim and typically affect a localized area, split die cracks run through the interior of the die, potentially crossing major design elements including the portrait, inscriptions, and decorative features. The copper-nickel clad composition, while softer than the original silver alloy, still required substantial striking pressure to achieve full design transfer, and the cladding layer structure — copper core sandwiched between nickel-alloy outer layers — introduced interface stresses absent in the homogeneous silver composition. Cataloged by the Cuds on Coins service with no cross-references, this variety's singular status for the 1972-D date suggests split dies were uncommon events during Denver's 1972 dime production. Collectors can identify split dies by the distinctive raised line crossing the coin's design field, which should replicate consistently across multiple specimens from the same die and differ in character from post-strike scratches or contact marks.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Ametzauto on ebay
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References