RCD-1c-1918S-01R Retained Cud

Description

Sole retained cud currently documented for the 1918-S Lincoln wheat cent by the Cuds on Coins attribution service, RCD-1c-1918S-01R records a reverse die rim failure on this World War I-era San Francisco Mint issue. The "R" suffix identifies the retained cud as appearing on the reverse side — Victor David Brenner's wheat ears design, where the two arcing wheat stalks frame ONE CENT and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA within a clean, symmetrical composition that makes rim anomalies readily apparent. San Francisco struck approximately 34.68 million cents in 1918, a wartime production level that reflected continued domestic demand for small-denomination coinage even as the nation's resources were directed toward the conflict in Europe. The dies used for 1918-S cent production were manufactured at the Philadelphia Mint and shipped to San Francisco, and any deficiencies in die steel quality or heat treatment could manifest as premature rim cracking under the repeated stress of striking the 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc planchets. A retained cud indicates the die rim fractured but the broken section remained attached to the die body, sinking slightly below the surrounding surface. Each coin struck after this failure carries a raised, partially flattened area at the rim location corresponding to the sunken die fragment — the displaced metal fills the depression incompletely, producing a shelf-like area that retains some design detail but lacks the crispness of the undamaged sections. As the only documented retained cud for the 1918-S cent, this variety stands alone in representing die rim mortality for this date and mint facility combination. Collectors should examine the reverse rim under 10x magnification, comparing any softened or raised rim areas against the sharp, well-defined rim sections to identify the retained cud location.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References