CU-100c-1971D-01 Rim Cud

Description

First documented rim cud for the 1971 Denver Mint Eisenhower Dollar — the inaugural year of the series — this variety records a die rim failure on the United States' first dollar coin since the Peace Dollar's final issue in 1935. A cud forms when a section of the die rim fractures and separates completely, creating a void that fills with metal during striking to produce a raised, featureless mass on the coin's edge. The Eisenhower Dollar's 38.1mm diameter made it the largest regular-issue coin in contemporary American circulation, and the substantial striking pressure required for such a large planchet placed considerable stress on die rims. Frank Gasparro designed both the obverse portrait of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the reverse featuring the Apollo 11 insignia eagle landing on the moon with Earth in the background — a design commemorating both the late president and America's lunar achievement. The 1971-D was produced in copper-nickel clad composition at the Denver Mint in a mintage of approximately 68.6 million pieces, marking the beginning of a series that would continue through 1978. As the founding entry in the 1971-D Eisenhower Dollar rim cud catalog, CU-100c-1971D-01 documents that die rim failure occurred from the very first year of this large-format denomination's production. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety demonstrates that the physical demands of striking dollar-sized planchets challenged die longevity from the outset of the Eisenhower series.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References