1971 (D) Kennedy Half Dollar - CU-50c-1971D-02 Rim Cud

Description

Documented as CU-50c-1971D-02 by the Cuds on Coins attribution service, this rim cud on the 1971 Denver Mint Kennedy Half Dollar records the loss of part of the die's rim gutter, which appears on the coin as a raised interruption in the design rim that tracks the rim's course. The 1971-D Kennedy Half Dollar was among the first clad-composition half dollars struck at Denver after the series transitioned from 40% silver (1965-1970) to copper-nickel clad in 1971. Gilroy Roberts's obverse portrait and Frank Gasparro's heraldic eagle reverse were struck on planchets of 11.34 grams with outer layers of 75% copper and 25% nickel bonded to a pure copper core. The "-02" suffix in the CU-50c-1971D-02 designation indicates this is the second documented rim cud for the 1971-D half dollar, suggesting at least one other die experienced a similar rim fracture during the same production year. Rim cuds are among the most visually dramatic die errors because they create a permanent, unmistakable alteration to the coin's profile — the raised interruption in the rim is typically visible to the unaided eye without magnification, making these varieties accessible to beginning error collectors while remaining desirable to advanced specialists.

Cross References

• CU-50c-1971D-02; none.

External References