2020 (P) Lincoln Shield Cent - RCD-1c-2020-01 Retained Cud

Description

Cataloged by the Cuds on Coins reference with documentation dated March 31, 2022, and cross-referenced with Stages 1-3 and the primary RCD-1c-2020-01 designation, this 2020 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent displays a retained cud variety with a particularly detailed description of its multi-stage die failure progression. A retained cud occurs when a piece of the die cracks and breaks free of the die face but is held in place rather than falling out, producing a raised but slightly displaced area on struck coins that keeps its design and shows visible crack lines. The cross-reference description notes that "In Stage C all areas experiencing brittle failure have merged and fallen out of the die face, save for a bi-level die crack extending northward from the elongated cud" — documenting the terminal stage of this die's deterioration where multiple fracture zones coalesced into a large area of die loss, with only a residual bi-level crack remaining above the main cud zone. This progressive brittle failure narrative provides collectors with a complete mechanical failure timeline for the die. The Lincoln Shield Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 2020 in copper-plated zinc composition (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) weighing 2.50 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. The Shield reverse, designed by Lyndall Bass, features a Union shield with thirteen vertical stripes. Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait has been in use since 1909. The multi-stage documentation of this retained cud — from initial fracture through progressive brittle failure to the final merged cud — is a detailed die failure case, illustrating the metallurgical and mechanical processes that govern die breakdown under production conditions.

Cross References

• Cross reference number: Stages 1-3 & RCD-1c-2020-01. 03/31/2022.

External References