DC-1c-1980D-01R Die Chip

Description

Cataloged as DC-1c-1980D-01R by Cuds on Coins, this die chip variety documents a small-scale die surface failure on the reverse of a 1980 Denver Mint Lincoln Memorial cent. Die chips differ from cuds in both scale and location: where a cud involves the complete separation of a rim segment, a die chip results from the detachment of a much smaller piece of die steel from within the design area itself. The tiny cavity left in the die face fills with planchet metal during each strike, producing a small raised bump on the finished coin — typically visible only under low magnification. The "R" suffix in the catalog designation confirms that this chip appears on the reverse die, placing it somewhere within the Lincoln Memorial design or its surrounding legends. Die chips tend to be less dramatic than cuds but more numerous, as the interior die surface is subject to localized stress concentrations at sharp design transitions — the junctions between letters and fields, the fine architectural details of the Memorial columns, and the serif transitions in the inscriptions all represent points where the die steel is vulnerable to micro-fracture. No additional cross-references have been established for this variety. The 1980-D cent was struck from 95% copper planchets at the Denver Mint. Attribution by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Joe Koelling
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References