CU-1C-1913S-01 Cud

Description

San Francisco's contribution to the early Lincoln Wheat Cent series included this 1913 (S) issue bearing a cud error — a raised, shapeless mass of metal along the rim created when a piece of the working die fractured and separated entirely. Cataloged as CU-1C-1913S-01 in the Cuds on Coins system, this represents the first documented cud position for the 1913-S date. The San Francisco Mint operated with its own set of die-supply logistics distinct from Denver, receiving working dies from Philadelphia and putting them into service under local production conditions that influenced die life and failure patterns. What distinguishes a cud from other die breaks is the complete separation of the rim segment: the missing piece leaves a cavity in the die that produces a solid raised area on every coin struck afterward, unlike retained breaks where the fractured section stays loosely in place. Collectors of early San Francisco Wheat Cents prize any attributable die variety because the "S" mintmark issues from 1909 through the mid-1920s generally saw lower mintages than their Philadelphia counterparts, and survival in grades that preserve die-failure detail is correspondingly limited.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Heritage Auction
• CU-1C-1913S-01
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References