CU-5c-1947S-01 Cud

Description

Struck during the first full year of peacetime production after World War II, this sole documented cud for the 1947-S Jefferson Nickel marks the return of standard nickel-composition coinage at San Francisco. Cataloged as CU-5c-1947S-01, the variety preserves a rim die failure on a coin whose metallurgy had only recently reverted to the traditional 75% copper, 25% nickel alloy — the wartime composition of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese had been discontinued after 1945 to release nickel reserves for military and industrial use. The transition back to standard composition may have introduced subtle differences in die wear as dies re-adapted to striking the harder nickel alloy after years of softer wartime planchets. Felix Schlag's original 1938 obverse portrait of Jefferson and his Monticello reverse remained in use throughout this period. San Francisco struck just over 24 million nickels in 1947, a modest figure compared to Philadelphia and Denver, which makes documented die varieties from the S-mint scarcer in the marketplace. A single cataloged cud from this mintage suggests that relatively few dies experienced rim failure during the production run.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Troy Lee
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References