1974 (D) Kennedy Half Dollar - CU-50c-1974D-01R Rim Cud

Description

Cataloged as the first documented reverse rim cud on the 1974-D Kennedy Half Dollar, CU-50c-1974D-01R records a major die fracture on the reverse of a Denver Mint half dollar from the mid-1970s production era. The "R" suffix specifies the reverse as the break location, placing the cud on Frank Gasparro's heraldic eagle design rather than Gilroy Roberts' Kennedy portrait obverse. No cross-references have been established beyond the Cuds on Coins designation. The 1974-D Kennedy Half Dollar was struck in copper-nickel clad composition — the standard since 1971 after the 40% silver transitional period of 1965-1970 — at 30.6mm diameter and 11.34 grams. Denver produced 79,066,300 half dollars in 1974, a substantial mintage that was nonetheless largely absorbed into bank vaults and collector holdings rather than active circulation, as the Kennedy Half had effectively ceased to circulate by the mid-1970s. The reverse heraldic eagle, with its outstretched wings, shield, arrows, and olive branch surrounded by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and HALF DOLLAR, presents a complex die face where rim fractures can interact with the lettering, eagle wing tips, or stars positioned near the periphery. A rim cud represents the loss of part of the die's rim gutter, so on the reverse it would appear as a raised interruption in the design rim that tracks the rim's course. The "01R" designation confirms this as both the first reverse cud cataloged for the 1974-D date and the first overall, establishing a baseline for what may be a sparsely populated variety category for a date that, despite its large mintage, saw relatively limited variety hunting compared to cents and quarters.

Cross References

• CU-50c-1974D-01R; none.

External References