CU-1C-1979-01 Cud

Description

Initiating the cud census for the 1979 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent, CU-1C-1979-01 was documented by Cuds on Coins and represents the first confirmed terminal rim break for this historically significant date. The 1979 Philadelphia cent holds a unique place in numismatic history as the last year in which Philadelphia-minted cents bore no mint mark whatsoever — a tradition that dated back to the very origin of the United States Mint in 1793. Beginning in 1980, the P mintmark would appear on cents for the first time, making 1979 the endpoint of nearly two centuries of unmarked Philadelphia coinage in this denomination. Against this historical backdrop, CU-1C-1979-01 documents a straightforward mechanical failure: the fatigue-driven separation of a rim fragment from a working die, producing the characteristic raised mass of extruded copper on all subsequent strikes. Philadelphia's 1979 production volume was substantial, requiring a large die inventory that was subjected to the demanding pace of high-speed press operations. The resulting rim failures are documented in a census of at least seven entries, of which CU-1C-1979-01 is the first. Collectors should note that the absence of a mint mark on 1979 Philadelphia cents is not an error but rather the final manifestation of Philadelphia's longstanding practice. Attribution by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Vicki Lynn Sargent
• CU-1C-1979-01
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References