RCD-1c-1916S-01R Retained Cud

Description

Cross-referenced as JCc-1916S-014 with a documentation date of February 4, 2012, this first reverse retained cud on the 1916 San Francisco Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent documents a die rim fracture from the early years of the Lincoln Cent series. A retained cud occurs when the die rim cracks and the broken section remains in place rather than separating, producing a raised distorted area on struck coins that retains partial design detail rather than the featureless blob of a full cud. The 1916-S cent occupies an important position in the Lincoln Cent series — it was struck during a period when the San Francisco Mint was producing cents in relatively modest quantities compared to Philadelphia and Denver, making die varieties from this date and mint inherently scarcer in terms of surviving population. Victor David Brenner's design had been in production for only seven years at this point, and die production techniques of the era were evolving as the Mint gained experience with the obverse and reverse designs. The "R" suffix confirms the fracture occurred on the reverse die bearing Brenner's wheat ears motif. As the -01R designation indicates, this is the sole documented reverse retained cud for the 1916-S cent, reflecting the lower production volume and correspondingly fewer die pairs used compared to the Philadelphia and Denver facilities. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety demonstrates that die rim failures were occurring on Lincoln Cent reverse dies even in the early years of the series, establishing the pattern that would continue across nearly five decades of Wheat Cent production.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference number: JCc-1916S-014. 02/04/2012.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References