RRDC-5c-1942S-05R Bisecting Rim to Rim Die Crack

Description

Fifth reverse bisecting rim-to-rim die crack for the 1942-S wartime Jefferson Nickel, this variety extends the already substantial RRDC catalog for the first year of silver alloy nickel production at San Francisco. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins on September 7, 2019, with no known cross-references, the 05R designation places this variety within a sequence of seven or more documented complete die fractures for the 1942-S date — an exceptional concentration for any single issue. The wartime silver alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese was adopted as an emergency measure when strategic nickel reserves were diverted entirely to military use, and the resulting planchets presented unique challenges to die longevity. Five reverse RRDCs suggest that dies used for the 1942-S wartime nickel may have experienced accelerated fatigue compared to dies striking the standard 75% copper / 25% nickel composition, though controlled studies of comparative die life across compositions are limited. Bisecting die cracks traverse the entire die face from rim to rim, creating a structural discontinuity that allows the two die halves to flex independently under striking pressure. San Francisco's 1942 wartime nickel output of approximately 32.9 million pieces was produced during a partial-year transition from standard to emergency composition, adding tooling and process changes to the already demanding wartime production environment.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Steven Bernatowicz
• Cross reference: none.  09/07/2019.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References