CU-1C-1981-04 Cud

Description

Fourth in the Cuds on Coins census for the 1981 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent, CU-1C-1981-04 records a working die whose rim integrity failed under the repetitive stress of high-speed production. A cud — the result of a die rim segment fracturing and separating entirely from the die body — leaves a void in the striking surface that translates to a raised, featureless mass of metal on every coin struck thereafter. The anomaly is immediately visible without magnification, making cuds among the most accessible error types for collectors at every experience level. Philadelphia's cent production in 1981 was substantial, as the facility continued to supply the bulk of circulating one-cent coinage for the nation. The 1981 date holds additional historical weight as the final full year of the traditional 95% copper, 5% zinc alloy composition — a formulation that had defined the Lincoln cent since 1962 and would be replaced mid-way through 1982 by the dramatically lighter copper-plated zinc planchet. CU-1C-1981-04 is distinguished from the three preceding census entries by its unique fracture position and angular extent along the rim. Attribution by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• CU-1C-1981-04
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References