CU-1C-1974D-19 Cud

Description

Approaching the end of the documented 1974-D cud census, CU-1C-1974D-19 is the nineteenth cataloged rim break variety for Denver Mint Lincoln Memorial cents of this date. The Cuds on Coins catalog records this variety without any additional cross-reference numbers from alternative attribution services, indicating it may be documented exclusively within that system. Cud errors occur when accumulated fatigue in the die steel causes a fracture to propagate from a stress concentration point — typically at the die's rim where the design meets the retaining collar groove — until a section breaks free entirely. The missing piece leaves an open cavity that fills with planchet metal on subsequent strikes, producing the characteristic raised, textureless mass that gives the error type its name. With nineteen confirmed rim breaks for the 1974-D date, this variety belongs to one of the most prolific cud catalogs in the Lincoln cent series, rivaled by only a handful of other high-mintage dates. The Denver Mint's output of roughly 4.24 billion cents in 1974 demanded continuous die replacement across multiple press lines, and the statistical likelihood of rim fractures scaled directly with the total number of dies placed into service. Collectors interested in CU-1C-1974D-19 should note that at this density of cataloged varieties, adjacent entries may occupy relatively close clock-positions on the die rim, making careful comparison against reference images essential for definitive attribution.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Daniel Botsford
• CU-1C-1974D-19
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References