1973 Lincoln Memorial Cent - PC-1c-1973-01R Pre-Cud

Description

Attributed on October 1, 2013, by the Cuds on Coins team, PC-1c-1973-01R is the sole documented pre-cud variety for the 1973 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent. No cross-references to other attribution services have been established. The "R" suffix identifies this as a reverse pre-cud. A pre-cud represents an intermediate stage in the die failure sequence that can precede a full cud: the die has developed a significant crack running from rim to rim, but the fractured segment is still part of the die and has not detached. On struck coins, this manifests as a prominent raised crack line or ridge along the rim — often wider and more severe than a typical die crack — with the design on both sides of the crack still level and in line, since the cracked segment has not moved. The pre-cud stage may be transient: continued die use can free the segment, and if it falls out, subsequent strikes produce true cuds, though that outcome is never guaranteed. Coins struck during the pre-cud stage are therefore documented as distinct varieties because they represent a specific window in the die's deterioration history. The October 2013 attribution date makes this one of the earlier entries in the 1973 Philadelphia variety census, predating most of the cud entries by several years.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 10/01/2013.

External References