1974 Lincoln Memorial Cent - DC-1c-1974-01 Die Chip

Description

Attributed as DC-1c-1974-01 by Cuds on Coins, this is the first cataloged die chip variety on 1974 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial cents. Die chips differ from cuds in both scale and mechanism: whereas a cud involves the catastrophic separation of a large rim fragment, a die chip is a minor interior break in which a small piece of the die surface fractures and detaches, leaving a shallow cavity in the die face. On struck coins, the chip manifests as a small raised bump or blob where planchet metal filled the void — an anomaly that is typically subtle enough to require magnification for confident identification, though chips in prominent locations (such as within letters or on design features) can be quite noticeable. No additional cross-reference numbers from other attribution services have been assigned to DC-1c-1974-01. DC-1c-1974-01 documents the first such interior break to be formally cataloged for the 1974 Philadelphia date, complementing the extensive cud census that records the more dramatic rim failures from the same production year. Collectors should consult the Cuds on Coins reference images to identify the specific location and appearance of this chip on candidate specimens.

External References