CU-1C-1920-07 Cud

Description

Seventh documented cud for the 1920 Lincoln Wheat Cent, this rim break records another complete die fracture from the post-World War I production era. The 1920 Philadelphia Mint struck approximately 310 million cents — a substantial output that marked the beginning of the high-volume years of the 1920s. CU-1C-1920-07 in the Cuds on Coins catalog indicates the seventh distinct die that developed a full rim separation for this date. A cud forms when a piece of the die rim fractures and breaks free entirely, leaving a cavity in the die face that fills with planchet metal during each subsequent strike, producing a raised, design-free mass at the coin's edge. The 1920 date falls during the post-war economic expansion when industrial demand for pennies surged alongside rising retail commerce. Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait had been in production for just eleven years at that point, and the reverse still carried the original wheat ears design. Seven cuds from a single date indicates robust collector examination and research, though the high mintage ensured sufficient raw material for discoveries. Each cud variety represents a unique die, making them individually scarce despite the abundant host coin population.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• CU-1C-1920-07
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References