CU-1C-1916S-02 Cud

Description

Bearing the designation CU-1C-1916S-02, this Lincoln Wheat Cent from the 1916 San Francisco coinage documents the second cataloged cud variety for this date and mint. The "-02" suffix signals that at least one other cud position has been recorded on the 1916-S cent, pointing to multiple die failures across the production run. Each cud represents a unique event: when hardened steel dies endure millions of high-pressure strikes, the rim — the thinnest structural boundary of the die face — becomes the most vulnerable zone for fracture. Once a rim segment breaks free, every subsequent coin receives a raised blob of featureless metal where design detail should appear, a dramatic visual signature that makes cuds among the most recognizable die errors in numismatics. The 1916-S Lincoln Cent was struck during a period when San Francisco maintained moderate production levels for the denomination, and the existence of multiple documented cuds for this single date suggests that at least some dies were pushed beyond their optimal service life. Finding either the first or second cataloged cud for the 1916-S date remains a worthwhile pursuit for Wheat Cent variety specialists.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• CU-1C-1916S-02
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References