UDC-1c-2015-01R Unusual Die Crack

Description

First unusual die crack documented on the reverse of a 2015 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent, cataloged by Cuds on Coins with a documentation date of July 6, 2018. The "R" suffix identifies the fracture location on the reverse die — the Union Shield side of the coin — distinguishing it from obverse unusual die cracks that would affect Lincoln's portrait. Unusual die cracks differ from standard die cracks in their unexpected path, branching pattern, or location, earning the UDC classification for fractures that fall outside the typical rim-to-design stress crack models. On the Shield Cent reverse, standard die cracks typically propagate from the rim inward through the shield's geometric elements along predictable stress lines, but an unusual die crack may travel through field areas, cross multiple design elements at unexpected angles, or exhibit branching that creates a tree-like pattern. The 2015 Philadelphia Mint produced Lincoln Shield Cents in enormous quantities during what would prove to be one of the most prolific years for spiked head varieties — with over fifty-seven documented spiked heads — indicating high die consumption rates and frequent die-related events across the year's production. No cross-references to other attribution systems have been established for this variety. As the first reverse UDC for the 2015-P date, this variety documents an unusual reverse die failure in a year that has been exhaustively studied for obverse die anomalies (spiked heads), and its existence suggests that researchers examining 2015-P cents for obverse varieties also captured noteworthy reverse die failures when encountered.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Patterson
• Cross reference: none. 07/06/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References