CU-5c-1985P-02 Cud

Description

Second documented cud for the 1985-P Jefferson Nickel, CU-5c-1985P-02 joins CU-5c-1985P-01 in establishing that at least two distinct rim die breaks occurred across the working die pool for this date-mint combination. Like its companion entry, this cud carries no known cross-references to other cud registries (listed as "none"), and no specific die markers are documented — authentication depends on the cud's unique physical characteristics: its position along the rim circumference, its angular width, and how far the break extends inward from the rim toward the center of the die. The existence of two cataloged cuds from 1985-P reflects the statistical reality of large-scale coin production: Philadelphia's approximately 647.1 million nickel output for 1985 consumed hundreds of working die pairs over the course of the year, and the rim area — where the die's collar interface creates a stress concentration zone — represents the most failure-prone region of the die face. When a die rim fractures and a segment separates, all subsequently struck coins carry the characteristic raised, featureless blob until the die is removed from service, creating a small population of error coins from each failure event. The distinction between CU-5c-1985P-01 and CU-5c-1985P-02 necessarily lies in their physical differences — different rim positions, different break geometries, and different affected design elements — since each originated from a separate working die that failed independently. Collectors pursuing comprehensive cud sets for specific denominations regard these multiple-entry dates as both an opportunity (more varieties to collect) and a challenge (differentiating between superficially similar rim breaks from the same year).

Attribution History

• Discovered by Steve Young
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References