RCD-1c-1944S-02R Retained Cud

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins as RCD-1c-1944S-02R, this retained cud is the second die break variety recorded for the 1944-S Lincoln Wheat Cent — a date distinguished by its composition of recycled brass shell casings. After the unprecedented steel cent program of 1943, the Mint returned to a copper-based alloy but sourced its metal from spent military cartridge cases rather than virgin copper stock. The resulting 95% copper, 5% zinc formulation omitted the tin from the original cent alloy, and the recycled metal carried occasional trace contaminants from its prior use as ammunition. The retained cud phenomenon involves a die crack propagating to the rim and causing a section of the die to fracture without fully detaching, so that coins struck from that die display a raised, irregular area partially masking the design beneath. Coming immediately after the brutally hard steel planchets of 1943, the softer recycled brass was gentler on dies, which may explain why the 1944-S date shows far fewer cuds than its steel predecessor. This second variety stands as early evidence of die failure patterns reasserting themselves under improved striking conditions.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Mike Antenucci
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References