1990 (P) Lincoln Memorial Cent - RCD-1c-1990-01R Retained Cud

Description

A retained cud on the reverse of the 1990 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent, RCD-1c-1990-01R documents a die fracture where the broken section of die steel came free but was held in place rather than falling out. With no known cross-references to other catalogs, this variety stands as a unique documentation of an intermediate failure state between an intact die and a fully formed cud. Retained cuds form when a fatigue crack propagates far enough to cut a section of die material completely free, but the collar, friction or geometric interlocking keeps the fractured piece from ejecting. The retained fragment shifts slightly under striking pressure — typically sinking below the surrounding die face — creating a raised plateau on the struck coin with its design intact on top, rather than the smooth, design-free blob of a full cud. This raised plateau makes retained cuds diagnostically fascinating because it carries an intact impression of the design elements that would vanish entirely if the die fragment fell out. The reverse location, designated by the R suffix, means the retained fragment affected the Lincoln Memorial design, where partial column or lettering impressions within the raised area can reveal the geometry of the fracture. Struck on copper-plated zinc planchets composed of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, weighing 2.5 grams and measuring 19mm.

External References