1973 (S) Lincoln Memorial Cent - CU-1C-1973S-04 Rim Cud

Description

Designated CU-1C-1973S-04 in the Cuds on Coins catalog, this rim cud variety appears on regular strike Lincoln Memorial cents produced at the San Francisco Mint in 1973. A rim cud represents the loss of part of the die's rim gutter: on the coin it appears as a raised interruption in the design rim that tracks the rim's course. The catalog number indicates this is the fourth documented cud variety for the 1973-S date, establishing that multiple die failures of this type occurred during San Francisco's production run. As a regular strike issue, CU-1C-1973S-04 entered general circulation rather than being confined to proof collector sets, meaning specimens can surface in circulated grades through roll searching or in dealer inventories. The San Francisco Mint in 1973 produced cents for both circulation and proof purposes, and rim cuds are more commonly associated with the high-speed, high-volume circulation strike production line where dies endured greater cumulative stress per unit time. Collectors should examine candidate specimens carefully under magnification, comparing the break's geometry against published reference images to ensure proper attribution. The "Rim Cud" designation in the title emphasizes that the break occurred precisely at the die's rim — the outermost boundary — rather than as an interior die break where a piece of the die face separates but remains partially retained within the die cavity.

Cross References

• CU-1C-1973S-04

External References