CU-1C-1986-05 Cud

Description

When a section of die steel breaks away and leaves a void, the planchet metal that flows into that cavity during striking takes on characteristics worth examining in their own right, and CU-1C-1986-05 on the 1986 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent illustrates this phenomenon. The zinc core of a copper-plated planchet is softer and more ductile than traditional bronze, meaning it flows more readily into die voids under striking pressure. This enhanced flow produces cuds with slightly smoother, more rounded profiles compared to cuds struck on harder copper-alloy planchets from the pre-1982 era. The surface texture of the cud itself — the raised blob — also differs: on zinc cents, the cud surface often displays a matte or slightly granular finish because the zinc core lacks the copper plating that gives the rest of the coin its characteristic luster. Over time, this exposed zinc surface is particularly susceptible to environmental deterioration, developing white powdery zinc oxide or darker corrosion spots more rapidly than the copper-plated field around it. Collectors preserving cud specimens from the zinc era should store them in chemically inert holders to minimize this differential oxidation. CU-1C-1986-05 is cataloged under its Cuds on Coins designation as the fifth documented die break for this date. Struck at Philadelphia on copper-plated zinc planchets at 2.5 grams and 19mm.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• CU-1C-1986-05
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References