CU-1C-1988-02 Cud

Description

Die failure is an inevitable consequence of high-volume coinage production, and CU-1C-1988-02 documents the second cataloged cud on the 1988 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent. In the Cuds on Coins numbering system, the format CU-1C-YYYY-NN identifies cuds by denomination (1C for one cent), year, and sequential number, creating a standardized reference that collectors and dealers use to identify and trade specific die break varieties. A cud begins as a die crack — a stress fracture in the hardened tool steel that propagates outward from a design element or inward from the rim under the repeated impact of striking. When the crack reaches the rim and a fragment detaches, the void left behind produces the characteristic raised, shapeless mass on struck coins. Unlike die cracks that merely create raised lines, cuds represent catastrophic structural failure of the die. The number of cents struck from a cuded die before it was pulled from service varies — some cuds appear on only a handful of coins if caught quickly by press operators, while others produced hundreds or thousands of pieces before detection. The 1988 Philadelphia issue, with its immense mintage, provided ample opportunity for die fatigue and breakage. Struck on copper-plated zinc planchets at 2.5 grams and 19mm.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Joe Koelling
• CU-1C-1988-02
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References