DC-1c-1979D-01 Die Chip

Description

Cataloged as DC-1c-1979D-01 by Cuds on Coins, this variety documents the first confirmed die chip on 1979 Denver Mint Lincoln Memorial cents. A die chip differs from a cud in scale and mechanism: while cuds involve the catastrophic separation of a sizable rim fragment, die chips result from the loss of a small piece of die steel from anywhere on the working die face — including interior areas away from the rim. The lost fragment may be only a fraction of a millimeter in extent, but its absence leaves a cavity in the die that produces a correspondingly small raised bump or blob on every coin struck thereafter. Die chips can occur at any point in a die's service life and may be caused by a variety of factors including material inclusions in the die steel, impact damage from foreign objects in the press, or localized fatigue at stress concentration points within the design. Unlike cuds, which are confined to the rim zone, die chips can appear anywhere on the coin's surface — within letters, on portrait features, in open field areas, or adjacent to design elements. DC-1c-1979D-01 carries no additional cross-references beyond its Cuds on Coins designation, indicating that this variety is not listed by CONECA, Coppercoins, or other major attribution services. The 1979-D cent bears Denver's hand-punched D mintmark and was struck from 95% copper planchets. Attribution by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Dan Hall
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References