CU-1C-1997-03 Cud

Description

Third documented cud for the 1997 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial Cent, this variety captures a complete die rim separation that occurred during a year when Philadelphia struck well over three billion cents to maintain the nation's circulating supply. Cuds rank among the most collectible die errors because their raised featureless mass is immediately visible to the unaided eye — unlike many doubled die or repunched mintmark varieties that require magnification for detection. The fracture mechanics behind cud formation involve progressive metal fatigue at the die rim, where each strike concentrates compressive stress at the transition between the die cavity and the retaining collar. Over thousands of impressions, microscopic cracks initiate and propagate until a section breaks free entirely. The 1997 date falls within the copper-plated zinc era of Lincoln Cent production, where planchets consist of a zinc core with a thin copper coating — a composition adopted in mid-1982 to reduce the metal cost per coin. Cross-referenced as CU-1C-1997-03 and documented by Cuds on Coins, this die break variety contributes to the census of Memorial Cent cuds spanning the full 1959-2008 production window of Frank Gasparro's beloved reverse design.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Marvin L
• CU-1C-1997-03
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References