RCD-1c-1952-02R Retained Cud

Description

What makes this 1952 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent particularly interesting is the presence of die damage on both sides of the coin — the reverse carries a retained cud at position 02R while the obverse exhibits a separate die crack marked with a black arrow on reference images. Dual-sided die damage on a single coin occurs when both the obverse and reverse dies deteriorate during overlapping service periods, and each form of damage developed independently through distinct fracture mechanisms. The retained cud on the reverse formed when a section of the die rim fractured but the broken piece remained seated in place, preserving partial design detail rather than producing the featureless mass of a standard cud. Position 02R places the fracture near a specific clock-face location on the reverse. The obverse die crack is a separate failure — a linear fracture in the obverse die that transferred as a raised line to each struck coin. Philadelphia Mint production in 1952 operated at high volume, and both obverse and reverse dies were subject to the mechanical stresses that produce cracks and cuds. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this dual-feature variety rewards collectors who examine both sides of their coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Keith Christenson
• Cross reference: none. 04/08/2019.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References