1992 (P) Jefferson Nickel - CU-5c-1992P-01 Cud

Description

At the rim of a 1992 Philadelphia Jefferson Nickel, a major die break created the featureless raised blob characteristic of a cud error — a fragment of the die's edge breaking away entirely and allowing metal to flow into the resulting void during striking. Cuds on Coins cataloged this as CU-5c-1992P-01, the first documented cud for the 1992-P nickel, with no additional cross-reference numbers assigned by other attribution services. Cud errors rank among the most visually dramatic die failures because the affected area loses all design detail, replaced by a smooth raised mound that extends from the rim inward. The 1992 Philadelphia Mint struck 399,552,000 Jefferson Nickels bearing no mintmark (Philadelphia did not add the P mintmark to nickels until 1980, except during the wartime silver period), placing this date solidly within the high-volume production era of the original Felix Schlag design. Unlike retained interior die breaks where the broken fragment stays partially in place, cuds represent complete separation of the die segment from the rim, meaning the break typically progresses through the die rapidly once initiated. Jefferson Nickels from the late twentieth century, produced at rates exceeding hundreds of millions per year, generated a substantial population of cud varieties as production dies endured the mechanical stresses of high-speed striking. The absence of cross-references suggests this variety may remain underreported in the broader attribution literature, known primarily through the Cuds on Coins registry.

External References