CU-1C-1978-01 Cud

Description

Cataloged as CU-1C-1978-01 by Cuds on Coins, this variety represents the first documented rim break on 1978 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial cents. A cud forms when a portion of the die rim undergoes complete separation due to metal fatigue — the repeated high-pressure striking cycles nucleate microscopic cracks along stress concentration points where the die face meets the collar groove, and these cracks propagate inward until a fragment of hardened tool steel detaches entirely. Once the rim segment separates, the die continues to operate with an open cavity that fills with planchet metal under striking pressure, producing a raised, featureless mass along the coin's edge on every subsequent piece. Philadelphia's 1978 cent production was substantial, consuming a large number of working die pairs throughout the year's production run. Each die pair endured hundreds of thousands of impressions before retirement, and the cumulative fatigue damage made terminal rim fractures an inevitable consequence of sustained high-volume coining operations. CU-1C-1978-01 initiates the documented cud census for this date, with its unique rim position distinguishing it from later entries in the sequence. The 1978 Philadelphia cent was struck without a mint mark from the standard 95% copper alloy, consistent with Philadelphia's longstanding practice that would continue through 1979 before the introduction of the P mintmark in 1980. Attribution by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Charity & Chris Welch & JC Stevens
• CU-1C-1978-01
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References