ADC-5c-1973D-01 Die Chip

Description

Cataloged by the Cuds on Coins reference as ADC-5c-1973D-01, this 1973-D Jefferson Nickel displays a die chip variety accompanied by additional die failure features. The cross-reference notes describe two cuds present on the coin — the larger cud on the left is designated as number 4 and the smaller cud on the right as number 5 — along with a die clash also noted on the same specimen. This combination of a die chip, two separate cuds, and a die clash on a single coin documents an advanced state of die deterioration where multiple failure mechanisms were active simultaneously, suggesting the die pair was well past its optimal service life when this coin was struck. A die chip occurs when a small fragment of the die face breaks away, leaving a corresponding raised bump on struck coins, while cuds represent larger rim-adjacent die breaks where substantial pieces of the die fracture and separate. The concurrent die clash indicates the dies also struck each other without a planchet at some point during this die's service, transferring design elements between the opposing die faces. The Jefferson Nickel was struck at the Denver Mint in 1973 in standard copper-nickel composition (75% copper, 25% nickel) weighing 5.00 grams with a diameter of 21.21 mm. Felix Schlag designed the Jefferson portrait obverse and Monticello reverse, which served continuously from 1938 through 2003. The convergence of multiple die failure types on a single specimen makes this variety particularly interesting to error collectors who study the progression and interaction of different die deterioration mechanisms during high-volume production operations.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• The larger of the two cuds (on the left) is # 4. The cud on the right is # 5. A die clash is noted on this coin; ADC-5c-1973D-01. Cross reference number; none.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References