CU-1C-1985-32R Cud

Description

Bearing the "R" suffix that marks it as a reverse die break, CU-1C-1985-32R on the 1985 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent joins the small subset of reverse cuds documented for this date — a category far outnumbered by obverse examples. Reverse cuds form when the anvil die, which carries the Lincoln Memorial design, develops a fatigue fracture at or near its rim that propagates until a section of steel separates entirely. The resulting void fills with planchet metal during subsequent strikes, producing a raised, featureless mass on the Memorial side of the coin. Reverse cuds are inherently less common than obverse breaks because the anvil die absorbs primarily compressive stress, while the hammer die endures repeated impact loading that accelerates crack initiation. The CU-32R designation places this among the later-documented varieties for 1985 Philadelphia, cataloged well after the initial wave of cud discoveries for the date. Collectors assembling a comprehensive 1985-P cud set will find reverse examples like CU-32R essential for representing both sides of the die failure spectrum. The Lincoln Memorial's columned architecture provides distinctive interrupted-design effects when a reverse cud obliterates portions of the building facade. Struck at Philadelphia on copper-plated zinc planchets composed of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, weighing 2.5 grams and measuring 19mm, from the 1985 mintage of approximately 5.65 billion cents.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Patrick Fosnacht
• CU-1C-1985-32R
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References