PC-1c-1948S-01 Pre-Cud

Description

First pre-cud documented for the 1948-S Lincoln wheat cent by the Cuds on Coins attribution service, PC-1c-1948S-01 was cataloged with a database entry date of 12/05/2024, reflecting the ongoing discovery and documentation of die rim failures on mid-century wheat cent production. A pre-cud represents the initial stage of die rim deterioration — a crack has formed in the die steel at or near the rim, but the fractured section has not yet begun to separate from the die body or sink below the surrounding surface. On struck coins, this earliest stage of failure manifests as a fine raised line extending from the rim into the design field, tracing the path of the die crack. San Francisco produced approximately 81.74 million cents in 1948, a post-war production level that consumed numerous die pairs across the year. The 1948-S cent occupies a position in the latter third of the wheat cent series — Victor David Brenner's original reverse design would continue through 1958, giving the wheat ears layout just ten more years of production before replacement by Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial reverse. By 1948, the Mint had returned fully to peacetime operations and the standard 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc alloy after the wartime interruptions of zinc-coated steel (1943) and shell-case brass (1944-1946). The December 2024 catalog date indicates this variety was documented relatively recently, demonstrating that die variety research on even common-date wheat cents continues to uncover new entries decades after the coins were struck. As the sole pre-cud currently listed for the 1948-S cent, this variety provides the first documented evidence of rim-area die cracking for this specific date and mint combination. Collectors should examine the rim under 10-15x magnification, looking for a fine raised hairline extending from the rim edge inward toward the design elements, which maps the crack path through the die steel.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Sheldon Skaggs
• Cross reference: none. 12/05/2024.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References