CU-1C-1987-03 Cud

Description

The third cud variety cataloged for the 1987 Lincoln Memorial cent, CU-1C-1987-03 adds to a census that reflects the extraordinary production demands placed on Philadelphia Mint dies during this era. When a coining die operates under the repetitive stress of striking nearly 4.7 billion planchets across a production year, metal fatigue becomes an inevitable factor — microscopic cracks initiate at stress concentration points, typically near the rim where the die face meets the collar, and propagate inward until a section of die steel separates entirely. The resulting void in the die surface fills with metal during each subsequent strike, producing the characteristic raised, amorphous blob that defines a cud. In die study, cuds serve as terminal markers in a die's deterioration timeline: researchers can trace the progression from initial die cracks through retained breaks to full separation, reconstructing the mechanical history of a specific die. The Cuds on Coins reference assigns this variety the CU-1C-1987-03 designation, placing it in chronological cataloging sequence among the 1987 cent cuds. Collectors pursuing a complete cud set for a given date face the challenge that cud dies are typically identified and pulled from service relatively quickly, limiting the number of coins struck from each broken die. Struck at Philadelphia on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Heritage Auction
• CU-1C-1987-03
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References