CU-1C-1980-04 Cud

Description

Fourth in the sequence of documented rim breaks for the 1980 Philadelphia cent, CU-1C-1980-04 was cataloged by Cuds on Coins and records another instance of terminal die failure from this historically significant production year. Each successive cud in the census occupies a distinct angular position along the die rim, and the growing number of documented varieties for this date testifies to the thoroughness with which the Cuds on Coins research network has surveyed surviving specimens. The 1980 Philadelphia cent holds a landmark position in the series as the inaugural year of the P mintmark on Lincoln cents — a change that made Philadelphia-minted cents explicitly identifiable for the first time in the denomination's history dating back to 1793. The formation mechanics behind every cud are rooted in fatigue metallurgy: the repeated impact cycles of the coining press gradually degrade the die steel's structural integrity, concentrating damage at the rim where cross-sectional geometry creates an inherent stress riser. Once a fatigue crack nucleates at this vulnerable zone, it grows incrementally with each subsequent strike until the affected segment separates entirely. No secondary cross-reference has been assigned. The coin was struck from the standard 95% copper alloy at the Philadelphia Mint. Attribution by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Shields
• CU-1C-1980-04; number: none.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References